Reunited
by Jlovesallfandoms
Summary: There aren't enough Ziio/Haytham Fanfics! Connor is two years old. Ziio is lonely. Haytham returns saying he "left the Templars"... Will Ziio ever trust him again? Will Haytham be accepted as a father? Can they ever fall in love again? (Sorry I suck at summaries)
1. Reunion

**Chapter 1**

**Reunion**

**Ziio**

I smile as I watched my son fumble around the longhouse. He's as tall as my knee and had skin dark like mine. His black raven hair flew around his face in different directions. He had his father's eyes though. My smile slowly fades. _Haytham_. It's been three years ever since he left me. Since he left us. I wonder if he ever even loved me. Maybe it was pity that he felt for me.

"Mother, what's wrong?" My son frowns and looks at me with concern. We converse in our native language. He stops trying to dance and runs to me hugging my knees. My smile returns as the loss of his father is replaced with my son's love.

"Nothing, my child." I kneel on the floor to kiss his cheek. "Now go and look for Kanen'to:kon. He came here looking for you while you were still sleeping."

"But mother, you seem sad!" Ratonhnhake:ton continued to cling to me.

"It is nothing. No go." I push my son's back gently so he would leave. When he walks out the door I frown again. Ratonhnhake:ton has always clung to me. Maybe it's because he grows every day without a father. I'm the only family he knows. I fear the day my son has to leave me. I know he never will if he has a choice.

I also walk out of the longhouse and look around the village. A few families are already out by the fires talking. The morning sun's warmth brushes my skin and comforts me. I see some women sitting by the fire and weaving clothes for their family. I sit down next to one and join.

"Hello, Kaniehti:io." Zitkala greets me.

"Hello, Zitkala." I acknowledge her as I pick up some animal skin and start tinkering with it.

"There's been word of a strange man roaming around our village walls." Zaltana, Zitkala's sister, whispers. She's married to Bagwunagijik, whom keeps watch amongst the village's outskirts.

"Strange man?" I repeat. I almost drop the animal skin. _Strange man_? "What do you mean, Zaltana?"

"He's one of those Englishmen." Zitkala says with a hint of hatred in her voice. _Englishmen_. _Strange Englishman_.

"Haytham." His name escapes my lips without my consent. The two women look at me as if I've gone mad.

"Don't speak his name!" Zaltana warns me as she puts a finger on my lips to hush me up.

"Haytham? The father of Ratonhnhake:ton?" Zitkala looks confused. Ever since we were little, Zaltana, Zitkala, and I used to play together in the woods. The boys of the village would tease us for being adventurous unlike the other young girls. Ever since, they've been the closest to me. They know about Haytham and how he left. They know the pain he caused me. But for some reason my heart skips a beat when I think of the chance that Haytham could be here. Maybe even looking for me. I know my friends fear for me. They don't like Haytham for what he's done to me and my son.

"Excuse me, I have to go." I quickly place the animal skin down as I start to run out of the village.

"Don't do it!" I hear my friends' warning but I continue to run. I have to see for myself. I reach the village walls when I see Bagwunagijik, Zaltana's husband.

"Hello, Kaniehti:io" Bagwunagijik smiles and greets me. "What brings you here? Some men have already gone hunting."

"Where is the Englishman?" I ask. I don't have time for small talk. I need to see for myself. My question seems to take Bagwunagijik aback. "Where is the Englishman?" I repeat, but louder.

"I haven't seen him today yet. It is still early in the morning. He usually comes walking around here around noon. He doesn't do harm so I leave him be. He's been spotted around the north side of forest right near the valley numerous times." Bagwunagijik speaks slowly as if still processing my demand.

"Thank you." I nod briefly then run to the north side of the forest. The trees stand in my way as if guarding me from my fate. "I know what I'm doing." I whisper to the trees as I dart through the forest. It's been a while since I've been carefree like this running outside the village. I miss this life. The animals run with me as if encouraging me to press on. The wind runs through my braids and dress. I feel the feather on the back of my head tickle my neck. I forget looking for Haytham for a second and just enjoy the nature. I close my eyes, suck in the sweet air, and spin around being one with my surroundings.

"Are you touched in the head?" I hear a man with a slight English accent ask me. I freeze in place with my eyes still closed. I feel my stomach drop to my feet. When I open my eyes either way my life will change. If it _isn't_ the man I seek, I will be disappointed. I do not know exactly what I hoped for. My friends will think I'm crazy for still loving him. I do not even know what I want anymore. If it _is_ Haytham, I do not even know how I will or should react. My heart wants to kiss him again. To hold him. To touch him. To love him. My heart wants him to come back to me and live with us and raise Ratonhnhake:ton. But my mind tells me differently. My senses tell me to forget him and walk away right now. My mind tells me to stop dreaming a dream that will never come true.

Before I could open my eyes I feel somebody gently pull me into an embrace and brush their lips against mine. _So it is him_. Tears start to well up in my eyes as he kisses me. I kiss him back with all that I have. His absence has taken too much of a toll on me. He's the only man I've ever loved. My hands feel for his cape. His grey hair tied in a ribbon. His familiar tipped hat. It's all there.

But my heart has had it's content. Now I regain my wisdom. I ball my hands into fists and punch his shoulder. This seems to surprise him, but he still holds onto me. I use my leg to knee him where it hurts. I hear him fall to the floor in pain. I finally open my eyes to check for sure. It's true. It's Haytham. It's_ my_ Haytham. And I just injured him.

"How dare you!" I scream at him. "Explain yourself." I plant myself on top of him to restrain him as I did with General Washington before he could kill Haytham.

"Ziio, please." His eyes meet mine, but my gaze does not waver. My resolve is clear. The love depleted from my heart and is replaced with anger. We stay staring at each other until he finally nods. He understands me. "I left the Templars." He said in one swift breath.

"**Left the Templars**?!" I scream at him again, "That's the most absurd thing I've heard. That's the only thing you've ever cared about. It was obviously evident when you decided to leave me and our son for your **Templars.**"

"No, Ziio" He speaks my name with affection and sadness, "you're wrong. I care about you as well. That's why I left." He uses one hand to brush my cheek. I look into his eyes again. I remember clearly seeing the dark hunger in the eyes of the man I loved. But it isn't there anymore. Now it's replaced with sadness and regret. My grip on his falters for a moment, but I regain strength quickly.

"I'm taking you as a prisoner to our village." I make my decision. I grab him by the collar and drag him back up.

"Prisoner? On what terms? I've done nothing!" _That's the way I remember Haytham._ I turn around and see the Haytham I remember for a second, but it quickly fades away to the empty man in front of me. I glare at him until he stops resisting.

"On **_my_** terms." I snarl as I drag him to our village. On the way there he doesn't say anything. In fact, he doesn't resist at all. I don't even have to have my hand on him for assurance. He walks behind me with content.

"You do know we have a son." I say as we get closer to the village. He stops walking and taps my shoulder so I could look at him.

"How is he?" He looks like he's about to cry. I do not know this man. This man is empty. He doesn't have an ounce of rage in him. I do not know if I miss the old Haytham or not. _Where is the man that stole my heart_?

"He's two years old." I quickly look ahead of me again and continue walking. "He grows up each day without knowing what it is to have a father. Because you left." Haytham gets silent again. Neither of us dare to speak until we reach the village.

As I pass the village walls, the villagers stare at us. They each look wide-eyed with their mouth forming a solid "O". Some of the children look scared. I look around for Ratonhnhake:ton. _Good_. If I don't see him, he doesn't see Haytham. I don't plan on showing him Haytham until I fully trust him. _No, that's wrong. _

"I never should've trusted you." I speak again.

"I know." He whispers.

**Will Ziio ever trust Haytham again? Why or how did Haytham "leave" the Templars? Will Ziio show Haytham Connor? Can they become the family we all want to happen? **

**And that's it! Cliff hanger! (kind of)… So thank you for reading! If it's a little sloppy it's because I'm soooo tired but I really wanted to write this before it escaped my mind. Anyways please review and tell me if I should continue! I'm currently doing two other fanfics right now and if this one doesn't get so much feedback I'll just cancel it… **


	2. Second Chance

**Chapter 2**

**Second Chance**

**Ziio**

I grab Haytham's shirt collar and lead him to the center of the village where the Clan Mother's hut is. As I pass Zitkala and Zaltana, they both gasp and cover their mouths with their small hands. Haytham will have to face our Clan Mother's judgement. As I enter the hut the two guards greet me then see Haytham. They instantly recognize him as the man wandering around our village's borders.

"Kaniehti:io, did this man try to hurt you?" I turn around to see Shosheowa point his spear to Haytham's neck. Shosheowa looks like an older version of Kanen'to:kon. He's slightly chubby with his black hair braided.

"Stay down, Shosheowa." I warn him in our Native language. "He must face the Clan Mother's judgment." Ever since we were small kids, Shosheowa has always fancied me. Last year, when Ratonhnhake:ton was one, Shosheowa even asked me to be his wife. I refused, but he still never gave up.

"Kanieht:io, why have you come to see me?" Our Clan Mother stands up. She's practically the image of me 50 years in the future. We share the same braids, the same feather behind our hair, our skin. But her face is draped with wrinkles.

"This man is to be taken as prisoner." I use my left hand to grab Haytham's arm and push him in front of me so the Clan Mother can study him.

"What has he done?" Our Clan Mother asks as she touches Haytham's sleeve and examines it as if she's never seen a sleeve before.

"He's been wandering around our village walls."

"Has he done anything to harm us?" Clan Mother says as she drops Haytham's sleeve. I try to hide a laugh as Haytham's eyes widen. He has no idea what we are saying. For all he knows, we could be plotting his death.

"No, but he poses a threat!" I point to Haytham again. I turn around to see Shosheowa also trying not to laugh or smile. He's obviously enjoying this more than he should be.

Our Clan Mother nods and stands still for a while pondering what to do with the outsider. Haytham looks at me as if asking for help. I refuse to look back at him and turn away. I don't even know if I'm happy to see him or disappointed.

"Kanieht:io, you shall be the one to imprison him." Clan Mother beams as if this was the best idea she's ever made. I stand completely still in shock.

"**_That's impossible!_**" I shout.

"It all works out this way! Since you are the one who thinks he is a threat you must be the one to keep him. He is to stay in your house and you do as you see fit with him. He could be your slave… Or who knows? You're not married, right Kanieht:io?" Clan Mother smiles. This gets Shosheowa in a rage.

"That's unwise, Clan Mother!" Shosheowa uses his spear as a walking stick as he stands next to Haytham. "How can we know this man won't harm our dear Kanieht:io? Since she thinks he's a threat it's unwise to put him in _her_ house. Kanieht:io even has a son! You are putting Ratonhnhake:ton in danger as well."

"Stand down, Shosheowa!" Our Clan Mother is filled with anger. "How dare you question my judgment. My word is final." She looks back at me again. "Kanieht:io is strong enough to fend for herself and her son should the man decide to attack. But I see no threat in him. Plus, we need to remain neutral with the Englishmen. If we do as we do with our other prisoners the other Englishmen will try and attack us. " Shosheowa backs away and goes back to his post grudgingly.

"Now leave me. I have given my judgment, Kanieht:io." The Clan Mother waves me away and orders me to exit her hut.

**Haytham**

"What happened? What were they saying?" I ask Ziio as she grabs my arm again and leads me out of the old woman's hut. I remember hearing them shout at each other. There was a man with a spear. He obviously didn't like me.

Ziio refused to answer me. Instead she leads me inside a longhouse. It's quite a small longhouse with warm coals in the middle and two small beds on the far side. There's a post that keeps the roof of the longhouse up. Ziio leads me to it and forces me to sit down. She then goes behind me and ties my hands to the post with rope. Before she could leave me, I shouted her name.

"Ziio!" She ignores me. "**Ziio**!" I shout again. This time she turns back to me and presses a dagger to my neck.

"What? What, Haytham? What did you expect to happen when you returned? Did you think I would just fall back into your arms again? I made the mistake once of giving you my trust. You obviously broke it. The day I found out you were a Templar I told you to leave and never look for me again. Why didn't you listen to me?!" She screams at me and shakes my collar. "Why Haytham? **_WHY?!_**"

"Ziio, please." I try to calm her down. "Let me explain myself." I look into her eyes until she slowly removes the dagger from my neck and sits down in front of me.

"Go on." She says, "Explain yourself." I adjust myself against the pole so I could get as comfortable as possible.

**Ziio**

"When I left you I told the Templars there was nothing to find here. What we were seeking wasn't to be found in your village. Back then I believed nothing was as important as the Templar Order. I dedicated my life to the Templars. Even back in England girls fancied me. I denied them as my duty was to the Templars. Back then I believed that leaving you was no different." I glare at Haytham as he continues, "But I was wrong. I was devastatingly wrong. Every night I would dream about what my life would've been like if I haven't left. _Our life_. I dream about our son. I dream about us. I had to leave. I couldn't handle it."

"I don't believe it." I say, "You said that all you believed in was that Templar Order of yours. How could you just throw it all away."

"I threw it away for you." He looks into my eyes. "All of those girls. None of them compared to you." I know that if he wasn't tied to the pole he would be touching me right now. Caressing me. Hugging me. Embracing me."

"I still don't believe it." I close my eyes and slowly shake my head. I sigh and relax more on the floor. I feel the rage and anger start to deplete from my body. "I still don't even know if this is real right now. If this is really Haytham in front of me. I don't even know if I'm happy or sad. My resolve was clear. I was prepared to completely forget about you. I was prepared to raise Ratonhnhake:ton by myself." I look to Haytham and see him start to smile.

"Don't get so excited." I sigh, "I still am prepared to raise him myself. But I will not let rage anger and revenge overrun my wisdom. I will not keep you as prisoner." I crawl behind Haytham again and untie his hands. "Go on. You are free to do whatever you like."

I sit on my bed close my eyes and wait for Haytham to leave. Instead, I hear him removing his hat and stripping off his top layers of clothing. I open my eyes to see him with his cape already on the ground and him starting to remove his coat.

"What are you doing?" I ask as my face starts to heat up. But this time it isn't from anger.

"I'm removing my weapons." He says as he removes his sword, switchblade, and countless other weapons. He looks at me as if I was crazy. "I want you to trust me as much as possible." When he removes his left switchblade he drops it to the floor. "Do whatever you want with the weapons. You told me to do what I want. So I am staying. I will prove you wrong. I will regain your trust." He then beams proudly.

"You truly are touched in the head." I laugh as I grab his weapons and hide them. After I hide the weapons I run to ask if Ratonhnhake:ton can stay with Kanen'to:kon for a while.

**Haytham**

I still stand smiling proudly as Ziio returns to the longhouse.

"You do know it will be very hard to regain my trust." She says as she circles around me.

"I am aware." I say with determination. She can not scare me away from this.

"You do know the village will not accept you as easily as our Clan Mother did." She continues to circle me. "It will take much more effort than that."

"I am aware." I repeat.

"I will not show you Ratonhnhake:ton until you are deemed trustworthy." She stops in front of me and looks at me again.

"I am aware." I say. _I have gained a second chance_.

**So that's it for now! Thank you so much for your reviews and feedback I love you all for each and every single review! :) Also thanks for your favorites and follows I seriously LOVE YOU! Also I decided to further continue this story.**

**Please continue reviewing and giving me your feedback. I want to hear all of my strengths and weaknesses to further make this better for you!**


	3. Hunting

**Chapter Three**

**Hunting **

**Haytham**

I lie on the cold floor under the fur blanket Ziio offered me. _I gained a second chance_. I look to my right expecting to see her sleeping on her makeshift bed. Instead I see the longhouse empty. The three coals that were usually burning for light and warmth are put out. I abruptly stand up and exit the longhouse in search for Ziio.

**Ziio**

I stand with Shosheowa and Bagwunagijik. They hand me some bait, and extra snare, and a bow.

"Ready to go?" Shosheowa smiles at me.

"Wait a little longer…" I stop talking when I see Haytham exit the longhouse. "Took you long enough." I say as Haytham walks next to me.

"Who are they?" Haytham asks as he motions to the two men in front of me. Shosheowa and Bagwunagijik look to me then back at Haytham. Shosheowa gives Haytham an angry glare.

"Hunters." I say, "Men who wanted to come with me to hunt for food."

"Women in the village _hunt_?" Haytham looks to me as if he's surprised.

"We know as much as men know. Some just choose not to take the kill." I look back to Shosheowa and try to hide a smile as he still angrily glares at Haytham.

"I'm coming too." Haytham nods and looks at me.

"I expected you to want to come." I hand Haytham a spare dagger and a bow and some arrows.

"This _outsider_ is coming with us?" Shosheowa points a dirty finger at Haytham and asks me in our native language.

"Calm down, Shosheowa." I say calmly as I hand Haytham some bait and a snare. "More hunters mean more meat."

"Does he even know how to hunt?" Shosheowa crosses his arms and gives Haytham a dirty look. I look to Haytham too. He looks confused and maybe even a little intimidated.

**Haytham**

I can't stand it when people around me talk in a language I can't comprehend. All I could understand is that this man doesn't like me. It looks like it's the same man from yesterday, the one who pointed at me with his spear. He's a bit plump with two braids down his head and a feather. I feel both Ziio and the man look at me.

"I'll teach him." Ziio finally says in English.

"What are you two saying?" I ask as I put the bait in my pocket. Ziio doesn't answer me. Instead her and the man continue to converse in their language. I look at the way the man looks at Ziio. It's as if he wants her. Then he looks back at me with disgust, then back at her with a kind face. _He fancies her_? I let it seep into my mind. It makes sense now. That's why he didn't like me as soon as Ziio walked in the Clan Mother's hut while holding me. I look at the man with the same disgust he gave me. Ziio laughs as the man says something.

"What are you saying?" I repeat, but with more annoyance in my voice. Ziio looks back to me again as if she forgot I was there. _I hate that man._

"Shosheowa wants to propose a deal… No, it's more like a challenge." Ziio motions to the man then back at me.

"So what is this _challenge _of his?" I mock.

"It's a silly thing, really." Ziio looks back to Shosheowa then back to me. "He says that the man that returns with the most game by the end of the day wins."

"What do you win?" I cross my arms. This just gets better and better. Now Ziio looks really annoyed and as if she doesn't want to answer. "So, what do you win?" I repeat.

"A kiss from me." She rolls her eyes and looks back to her dagger as if she would stab both of me and Shosheowa if she could to stop the stupid deal.

"I accept." I instantly say without a second to lose. Ziio looks at me and raises her eyebrows as if she's surprised I'd accept so fast. She turns back to Shosheowa and tells him something in their language. He grunts then starts to walk away. The second man follows him and leaves me with Ziio by the village walls. I start to follow them as well, until Ziio grabs my arm again.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ziio asks as I turn around.

"I'm going to hunt. I need to set up some snares now or else I won't win the challenge." I tell her as if it's obvious.

"You don't know how to hunt." Ziio says as she leads me out of the village walls with her and into the forest.

"Of course I know how to hunt. You fire your musket at the beast and be done with it." Then I looked at the dagger in my hands.

"It doesn't look like you're holding a musket. Anyways, the bullet would ruin the quality of the meat and skin." She leads me to a tree and examines the grass. "Rabbit droppings… Rabbits have been here recently. Set your snares here." She orders me. I do her command and follow her again as she feels the trees and walks among the grass.

"The shot must be quick. The kill clean." She educates me as she lurks in bushes. "The rabbit is a gift. We must return nature's kindness with our own." As she spots a rabbit, she gracefully grabs the bow from her back readies an arrow and fires the shot. The arrow flies straight to the rabbit's heart. She then examines her kill and skins it. I never thought a woman could be so brutal. She looks back at me. "Follow me; I saw a place where it looks like a deer was resting earlier. Maybe we can try for bigger game while we wait for the snares we set up earlier."

She then goes back into the high grass, gets down, and becomes one with the nature. I try my best to lurk in the bushes as she does, but somehow she walks with perfect balance and poise that she doesn't make a single sound. She leans back a little so she could whisper in my ear.

"See that? There's a deer." She whispers and points in front of her. "I must move carefully. If she sees us she will flee. Watch me." She then continues among the grass until she's behind the deer. A tree comes between her and the deer so she's not in direct contact. She then drops some bait. The deer sniffs the air and starts trotting closer. Before the deer could realize Ziio was even there, she wraps her arms around the deer and kills it quickly with her strength.

"You're incredible." I say in amazement. I don't think even I could do that

"Here, I think you should take this as your own." She points to the deer. "You need it more than I. Skin it yourself with the dagger I gave you. By this time Shosheowa probably caught three of these." She says as she looks around as if looking for him. _Right. Shosheowa. The man I hate._

"Let us go check on the snares." She says as I finish skinning and collecting the deer's bounty. I follow her until we reach the two snares we set up. Two plump rabbits lay dead on the ground where they were caught by the snare. "Skin them again. You can claim them as yours." She nods at me then points to the kill.

"I think you're ready to hunt on your own." Ziio touches my shoulder in confidence then starts to walk away.

"You're leaving me? Already?" I say as I watch her leave me in the forest.

"The whole point of today was supposed to be getting meat and bounty for the village. I have to contribute my own as well." She says as she walks further and further away. So this woman expects me to know my way around the forest, not get lost, _and_ collect meat… _Women_.

**Shosheowa**

"Shosheowa, amazing kill!" Bagwunagijik congratulates me as I skin the bear. He's a bit skinny with shaggy hair and a feather in it like mine.

"Do you think that Englishman already caught more than me?" I pant as I continue to skin the kill.

"Impossible. Nobody could beat the great hunter Shosheowa." Bagwunagijik continues to compliment my skills. As I finish with the bear I see him carrying his bounty. We both walk together as we try to find some more game.

"Bagwunagijik, do you think Kaniehti:io would accept my proposal if I win?" I ask as I haul around my bounty.

"I don't know." Bagwunagijik says as he looks off into the distance. "Zaltana didn't accept my proposal until I won all the challenges she put out for me in one day. You remember that day, right? I had to hunt for the most meat, pick her the prettiest flowers, repair and expand her longhouse, and arrange a village bonfire celebration. It was the most tiring day ever, but it was worth it for my dearest Zaltnana." I laughed as the memory of the usually calm and wise Bagwunagijik sweating and panicking and stressed out. I shoot a rabbit as I see it run across and skin it.

"I know, Bagwunagijik. But Kaniehti:io will never accept my proposal for marriage no matter what I do." I frown. "Maybe this challenge will fix that. Maybe this will be the inciting force to our relationship. After I win that kiss she will fall in love with me."

"Who knows, Shosheowa. It's almost night time. The sun is starting to set. You should hurry with the rest of your hunt before it gets too dark if you really want to win." Bagwunagijik shrugs.

**Ziio**

I lurk in the bushes and start to pull out my bait. The hunt is almost over. I see the sunset starting to form over me. _I must finish quickly and return to the village before it gets too dark._ The deer comes closer attracted to the bait. _Just a little closer_. Before I could grab the deer, its head perks up and runs away in fear of something. I instantly get out of my hiding place in frustration. _What could've scared the deer? I was perfectly still. She didn't see me._ Then I hear a roar from my left. A monstrous brown bear stands on its hind legs and tries to pounce on me. I grab out my dagger and try to defend myself. A scream even manages to escape my mouth.

**Haytham**

I skin the two rabbits from the snare. I frown as I look at my bounty. All that I've caught ever since Ziio left for her own hunt is one deer and two rabbits. _But there's no way I'd let that bastard beat me to a challenge._ I grab my bounty- no matter how thin- and hunt for the game with determination. Hunting wasn't meant for a man like me.

I try to examine the ground as Ziio showed me. I look at something that looks like bear droppings. I start to walk in the other direction. _Maybe a bear is still too high up for me… Maybe I should stick to rabbits for now._ Then I hear a woman's scream.

My head perks up in alarm. The only woman in the forest is Ziio. _Ziio?_ Before my mind could start functioning my body could. I started to dart in the direction of the woman's scream. It started to get louder and louder. Finally, I reached Ziio.

She was under a bear as it pounced on her. She defended herself as best as she could stabbing the bear's claws so it wouldn't claw on her body. The bear notices me as I'm still looking at the scene. _Great. You're real smart, Haytham._ I look back to Ziio. She didn't even bother to look at her savior. Her body remained limp on the ground. _Ziio_… The bear stood on its back legs and let out a great roar as if claiming Ziio as his kill.

"Get off her, you bastard!" I yelled as I fumbled to grab my arrow and shoot the bear. It hit the bear's stomach, which wasn't what I planned, but good enough. While the bear was wounded I ran up and stabbed it in the heart. I smiled in triumph and bounced around the bear's dead body. _I just killed a bear! I bet Shosheowa didn't kill a bear._

"Haytham…" Ziio moaned. I quickly ran to her. Her face had minor scratches, but other than that I didn't see major wounds. I pick her up so her legs rest on my left arm and her head is on my right arm. "The bear's weight. My ribs hurt." She winces as she clutches her ribs.

"You'll be fine, Ziio." I calm her down. I look up as darkness looms about the forest. The sun just set with my last hopes of going back to the village with light. "Lead me to your village. You'll get help."

**Ziio**

As we're halfway back to my village I already feel half-better.

"I'm fine, Haytham. You can put me down." I look up so my head would stop resting on his chest.

"Ziio, you just got trampled by a bear. I'm going to be a gentleman and carry you home so you can get medical help." He looks to me as if I'm crazy. There's no point in arguing with Haytham. It's just a waste of energy. I slump my head back so it rests on his chest again. _This is actually quite comforting_.

"Your hunt. You dropped it all." I say as I try to make a conversation.

"I am aware." He keeps looking forward and follows my directions.

"That means you lost to Shosheowa." I say. He cringes at first. _Loss must be new to him_.

"I am aware." He repeats. I sigh and get comfortable again.

**Haytham**

As I reach the village walls, I already see Shosheowa and the other man waiting there for us. As soon as he sees Ziio in my arms, he rushed towards us. Shosheowa shouts at me in a language I don't understand.

"He thinks you did this to me. He wants you to put me down. He doesn't trust you." Ziio transtales. I start to give Ziio to Shosheowa until Ziio grabs my hand. "Don't." She looks into my eyes then back to Shosheowa.

"Tell him that you need medical help." I order. Ziio nods then talks to Shosheowa. The other man just gasps and stands there looking concerned and scared for Ziio. Shosheowa and Ziio's talking morphs into shouts. I back away from Shosheowa as he looks like he would pounce on me himself.

"He really wants you to let me down." She says. "Haytham, just do it. It's okay now. Just give Shosheowa what he wants." I reluctantly hand Ziio's limp body to the man I hate. He nods to me then rushes her inside the village. The other man and I follow him as he puts Ziio inside a hut.

**The next day…**

I slept on the floor again with the fur blanket. It wasn't much of sleep. It was more of worrying the entire night, sleeping for an hour, then worrying again. I yawn and get up from the floor. This is the second morning I'm waking up alone. When I get out of the longhouse, Shosheowa and the other man that went hunting are already there to greet me.

"I can translate." The man I don't know says to me. I nod then look to Shosheowa. Shosheowa says something to the man. The man nods then looks to me. "Kaniehti:io is okay."

I feel the tension in my chest release. I can breathe.

"She's been asking for you." The man says. "You should go." Shosheowa looks like he's utterly defeated. I feel a pang of pity hit me.

"Thank you." I say then rush to the hut.

"Haytham." Ziio calls my name as I enter the medical hut.

"Are you okay?" I ask with worry as I sits in front of her. Her body is wrapped in animal skin and her hair is let down from her braids. _She's beautiful._ Black waves cascade down to her chest.

"I will be okay. The Clan Mother is going to hold a healing bonfire for me tonight. I will get even better….But that is not why I called you here."

I look at her again with wonder and awe.

"You rescued me with bravery. You sacrificed your hunt even though it would mean you would lose to Shosheowa." I list his accomplishments. I never would've dreamed he could do this. "I have somebody I want you to meet. She then calls out something in her native language. "Ratonhnhake:ton." The room falls in silence, and then I hear small the uneven rhythm of two small feet stumbling to come. "This is your son." She says as she holds up a child.

**And I'll leave it at that! AWW isn't that just so adorable? I love it! Haha anyways ughhhhhhhh so much homework I'm seriously going to die! Don't expect another chapter until maybe the weekend. It's just with finals and everything I feel like I'm really dying. My teachers don't have big tests (thank god) they just give you huge-ass projects. Anyways enough with me ranting! Sorry if there's a few spelling/grammer mistakes I didn't bother to proof-read it.. oops... but I just REALLY wanted to write and put this up before I cram for my project tomorrow.. Procasination sucks**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading every single review you guys give me! Like in class when I'm bored I'll just pull out my phone and read your reviews... (cuz' I'm a loner like that…) Er yeah this is awkward. Haha anyways please please plese review! I love reading every single one! Even if you just say hi! Okay bye! Thank you for reading and supporting~**


	4. Many Meetings

**Chapter Four**

**Many Meetings**

**Haytham**

I watch as a young boy throws himself into Ziio's arms. He has his mother's skin and hair with my eyes and nose. A single braid runs down his ruffled raven black hair. He smiles and lets out small laughs as his mother tickles his stomach. I smile at the child. _Our son._

As Ziio stops tickling our son, he sits on her lap and faces me.

"Who are you?" He asks me. It appears that Ziio has taught him English as well. His voice may be small, but shows no fear considering he's never seen a man like me before. He then stands up between Ziio and I as if guarding her from me. I look to Ziio and she nods.

"I…" I pause. _How do I approach this...?_ "You are my son." I breathe as I let the words out. It's as if a boulder has been lifted off my chest. His face looks the same as he didn't comprehend my answer.

"I asked who are **_you_**, not who am **_I_**." He then falls back down onto Ziio's lap. She pulls him closer to her and whispers something into his ear. His eyes widen and he stays still like that for a few moments. I feel like my heart stopped beating. _What if the child doesn't accept me_?

Much to my surprise, the boy's face fills with joy as he runs off his mother's lap and onto mine. He clutches me and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Father…" He whispers as if it's a new word to him.

"His grip is tight." I say to Ziio as she watches us. "He would make a fine fighter one day."

"That is true." Ziio replies as she continues to watch us with awe.

"What is your name?" I ask the boy as he sits back onto my lap.

"Ratonhnhake:ton." He says. _Well that's perfect. Foreign names have always been a pain. I still can't even pronounce Ziio's name_.

"O-dune-hawk-dune?" I ask. Ziio lets out a small laugh.

"You can call him Connor." Ziio says and smiles at the sight of Connor and I together. "It means wolf-lover, or friend of the animals. My people gave it to him as a second name."

"Connor." I repeat. As a response to my name for him he gets up and kisses my cheek.

"Father." He says.

**A Few Hours Later…**

I hold Ziio's shoulder as I help her back to her longhouse. Connor follows and jumps behind us. _What an energetic little boy._

"Really Haytham, I'm fine." Ziio says as she tries to push my hand off her.

"Stop trying to be so independent, Ziio. I'm here now." I say as I try to help her walk. She stops to look in my eyes. _Well that was a poor choice of wording. She could've taken that both ways._

"With the two years of being alone I've learned to be independent." She slides her shoulder so my hand slips off then walks ahead of me. Before she could enter her longhouse I look to the skies. It's about noon now, and my third day with the Mohawk tribe. My clothes are already dirty and I feel like I haven't eaten a proper mean in years.

"I'm going back to Boston today." _Bollocks. Even worse wording and worse timing._ She cringes then looks back at me. "That's not what I meant… What I meant to say was I'm going to get supplies there today then return quickly." Her face calms down but remains emotionless. Then a crazy idea comes to my brain. _She might kill me, but what have I got to lose?_

I bend down to kiss Ziio. She remains still for a second then touches my cheek.

"Goodbye, Ziio." I say. I wish I could turn back around and see her one last time before everything has to change…

**Ziio**

I stand still and watch Haytham leave the village. _He kissed me_. I feel a smile try to tug at my lips but I fight off the urge. Connor tugs my hand and jumps up and down.

"Where is father going?" He asks me.

"He is going to his home to get supplies." I say then bend down to kiss Connor on the cheek. "He will be back soon." _I hope_.

**Haytham**

I walk through the streets of Boston. I breathe in the foul air of sewage and non-hygenic colonists. I hear the familiar sound my boots make when I walk on the cobblestone streets. Women hold baskets and shop at the market stalls. I make my way through the town until I recognize the building. _This is it._ I feel my hands hesitate as they reach to open the door. _If I open this door… There is no going back_. I feel my mind urging me to open the door but my heart stops it. I feel my fingers tingle on the cold handle. _This is it…_ I read the sign as I pull the handle and pull the door open. THE WRIGHT TAVERN.

**Ziio**

I sit next to Zitkala and Zaltana and join them as they harvest berries off of the blueberry bush. They both look at me with amazement as I feel their eyes studying me. I stop and place my basket and the ground and sigh.

"Go ahead." I say. "You have one minute to say anything you want without me reacting go ahead." This usually happens either whenever Shosheowa proposes to me, he's planning to, or when I went against their judgement. Maybe this time it will be all three of those events.

"People are saying you got attacked by a bear!" I hear Zaltana say.

"Word is going about the village that you're pregnant again, with Haytham's child!" I hear Zitkala say. I try my best to show no emotion.

"I saw Shosheowa sulking around. Did you reject him again?" Zaltana asks me.

"Why did you go to Haytham?"

"What did the Clan Mother say of Haytham?"

"Was Haytham the one that attacked you?"

"Do you actually trust Haytham?"

"How could you go against our judgement?"

"Does Shosheowa know that Haytham is the father of Ratonhnhake:ton?"

"I don't trust Haytham."

"Shosheowa told us that Haytham attacked you."

"**STOP!**" I yell out in frustration. _I've had enough of this_. The last time they've asked me this many questions was when they found out I was pregnant with Connor. "Yes, I got attacked by a bear. I'm **_not_**prengnant! I went to Haytham because my heart told me to. The Clan Mother approved of Haytham. No, Haytham did not attack me. I don't know if I trust Haytham. I went against your judgment because I did what my heart told me was right. No, Shosheowa does not know. I know you don't trust Haytham. And finally, Haytham did not attack me!" I see my friends take two steps back as I let out all of my rage.

"Really, I know that you don't like Haytham. I'm sure none of the village does. Maybe I trust him, and maybe I don't. But give him a chance. Don't let vengeance cloud your wisdom." I say to them as I calm down. I start to walk away, but stop. I turn around to tell them one final thing. "And next time, don't listen to such absurd rumors."

**Haytham**

I enter the tavern to see drunk men dancing around holding a mug of beer. _It's a bit early to be drunk._ I slip around the men and walk upstairs where I see more men- - sitting in a row around a table.

"Haytham, my friend!" A man stands up and pats my back to greet me. "We thought we've lost you." He has bushy eyebrows, a long nose, a slight beard, and bright blue eyes.

"It'll take much more than _savages_ to kill Haytham!" Another man stands up from the table and greets me. I cringe at the word. _Savages_.

"Charles Lee, Pitcaim, thank you for welcoming me here today." I sit down with them.

"Of course. So how was your stay with them _savages_?" Charles Lee says. Every time I hear that word I feel my heart dropping deeper and deeper until eventually it will reach where I'm bound to go, Hell. "Did you find what we are looking for?"

"Not exactly." I shake my head. "It's only been three days, give me more time." _I should get out of here this isn't right._

"More time?" One man spits. "I think it's about time we beat up them savages until they let out what we want."

"**_NO_**!" I growl before I could stop myself. All of the other men look at me like I've gone mad. "What I meant was we can't get hostile with the _natives_." I corrected their use of the word 'savages'. "If we do that will annihilate all chances of getting what we want… We must have patience."

"Okay, Haytham. What do you reckon we do then?" the man gives me a nasty look. _I almost dislike him as much as Shosheowa… Almost._

"I reckon you give me more time with the natives. We must keep peace with them." I say as if it's obvious.

"Do as you wish, Haytham. Good luck." Charles Lee smiles to me.

"May the Father of Understanding Guide Us." We all say in unison as we recite our Oath.

**DUN DUN DUN…**

**Please please please PM me or REVIEW if you want fillers to be put in! I already have some ideas… I promise they won't be horrible! It's just that pretty much after this chapter everything flows like a river. Please tell me so I can place some in before it's impossible! It will make the story longer and more enjoyable if you don't want it to end so fast…**

**Sooo that's it for now… Sorry it's kinda short haha I just wanted to get the chapter out there before I don't have time to. Ugh I'm struck with a nasty cold :( well it could be worse. Anywayss I hope you enjoyed! The next chapter will probably be out maybe around Tuesday or Wednesday. Not so far right?**

**Also I want to say (again) thank you SO MUCH for all of your love and continued support I really just love all of you thank you so much I'm grateful :) **


	5. River of Truth

**Chapter Five**

**River of Truth**

**Ziio**

Then sun starts to set. I watch the yellow disk sink lower and lower sending colorful ripples throughout the sky. I hold Connor on my lap while the other villagers sit around the bonfire. He watches in wonder as our Clan Mother and the tribe's healer sprinkle herbs in the fire and chant for my healing.

"Did I miss anything?" I don't even need to turn around to know it's Haytham. His unmistakable accent differs from everyone else in the village.

"No." I smile. The villagers start to dance around the fire. Connor jumps onto Haytham forcing Haytham to wrap his arms around the boy. Haytham's hair is tied with a red ribbon as usual, but he decided to put back on his cape and tipped for travelling to and from Boston.

"Dance! Dance!" Connor orders Haytham. Haytham smiles and hugs Connor. When he pulls away, I see a different look in Haytham. It's different from back when he was with the Templars. That look was just raw power. It's as if this is guilt.

"How was Boston?" I touch Haytham's cheek. He looks at me and tries to hide the guilt in his eyes. Knowing he can't hide it, he instead decides to look away.

"Boston was nothing different than before. Same smelly and crowded streets." He says without looking at me.

"Haytham, I know you better than this. Please, tell me what is troubling you." I frown. Is it that he doesn't think I'm worthy of trust? Or maybe it's that he doesn't want the truth to hurt me. Before either of us say anything, Zitkala pulls me up.

"Kaniehti:io, this is your healing bonfire! In order for it to work you need to participate." Zitkala smiles at me as she still holds my hand dragging me to the dancing villagers. Forced to join, I reluctantly start to dance with the fire.

**Haytham**

I watch as Ziio joins the other villagers to dance. There's no way Ziio found out that easily. It's impossible to tell that much by just one look. I touch my heart as I try to comprehend what's going on inside. As if it was that easy. As if I could just touch my heart and all the answers would be there.

_I know this isn't right. Ziio doesn't deserve this. Connor doesn't deserve this. _I look to Connor and see the boy smiling and jumping along with the music._ What a lively little boy. None of them deserve this. Is it possible to leave the life I've ever known? The path is clear. I could only choose one life or the other… Templars… Or love. _I look up again to see Ziio laughing along with the other villagers. She notices me and comes back to where I am.

"Come on." She smiles as she drags me to the bonfire. _Bollocks. This is perfect. Let's all watch Haytham embarrass himself trying to dance._

"Ziio, I really don't think I should." I try to say, but she ignores me. She pulls me infront of the fire and starts to dance. I watch more closely and realize it's as if the villagers are mimicking the fire as it tosses and turns in its flames. An old woman continues to toss in herbs into the fire chanting something I can't understand.

"Haytham, what are you doing? Dance!" She laughs as she notices how I hold back. "If you're really that nervous, here you can dance with Connor." Ziio carefully hands me Connor. The boy nuzzles up in my shoulders and hugs me tight.

_Right, so dancing. _I try to bounce up and down trying to "dance". _Bollocks. I could kill a million men but not dance? _Ziio laughs as she sees my attempts, but not in a mocking laugh. I sense love. _How could a woman like her ever love a man like me… a man who doesn't deserve any love at all?_

**Ziio**

I awake the next morning and raise my head to check on Haytham. _Asleep, as usual._ I sigh and wake up Connor. Chores must be done. As he wakes up I hold his hand and exit the longhouse. As usual, I see Zitkala and Zaltana weaving. They both smile at me and wave me over. I sit down next to them and start weaving as well. Zaltana looks as if she's practically emitting happiness from her body.

"Zaltana, what is the matter?" Connor pokes Zaltana's hand. She smiles and snuggles up to Connor.

"Nothing is the matter. In fact, I have a happy matter." She then picks up Connor and kisses him on the cheek. "I bear a child."

I raise my eyebrows. Zaltana and Bagwunagijik have been married ever since she turned thirteen years of age. To finally bear a child is a miracle for them. I smile and drop the animal skin to hug Zaltana.

"That is wonderful to hear, my friend." I say as I hug her. She smiles and hugs me back.

"Thank you, Kaniehti:io. I am content that Ratonhnhake:ton will now have somebody to play with." She smiles then kisses Connor's cheek again. Zaltana has always had a love for children. "However, Zitkala has some news as well." Zaltana then eyes her twin sister. Zitkala blushes and puts down her animal skin. Both Zitkala and Zaltana have a petite figure with dark skin like mine but their black hair in one braid on the side with a feather.

"I am to be married." She says quietly as if somebody who shouldn't know was around.

"That is wonderful, Zitkala!" I hug her. "To whom are you being married to?"

"Abhi:ijit." She says. Besides Shosheowa, Abhi:ijit is the greatest hunter in the village and the strongest and the bravest. Many women in our village fancy him, including me back when we were little.

"Congratulations to both of you." I hold both of their hands. Perhaps life is turning for the better for all of us.

"What is troubling you, Kaniehti:io?" Zitkala frowns. I should've known she'd notice. If I bring up Haytham it would ruin their mood. If I say nothing is wrong they will deny it.

"Are you able to care for Ratonhnhake:ton today? I have things to take care of." I say to them. They nod. _So they took my excuse._

"Of course, Kaniehti:io." Zaltana and Zitkala say. I nod in thanks then return to my longhouse.

**Haytham**

"Haytham." I hear a woman say my name. I squirm under the blanket, but don't get up. "Haytham." The woman repeats my name again. I feel my arm being shaken. I finally get up to see Ziio hovering over me. She wears her hair out of the braids today, cascading down to her chest with a feather tucked in neatly.

"Ziio?" I rub my eyes.

"Come with me." She laughs. "I want to show you something."

**Ziio**

I wait outside the longhouse until Haytham exits and arrives to my side. I don't acknowledge him, and instead walk ahead and expect him to follow. Zitkala and Zaltana don't look at me this time when I pass them. They're too busy with their own joy to bother me with Haytham. I walk outside the village walls and into the forest.

"Hello, Kaniehti:io." He smiles to me. "Hello, Haytham." He greets Haytham in English. Haytham nods back then continues to follow me. Bagwunagijik has been the only villager to show Haytham kindness ever since his arrival. We walk deeper into the forest until we almost reach the valley. As the valley comes insight, I turn left and follow the trees. I have the path etched into my head.

"Where are you taking me?" Haytham asks me.

"Patience, Haytham." I look back to him then back to the path. "You'll see soon enough." Finally, we start to hear the graceful trickle and pounding of water. Out of excitement I start running to the target. I start to climb up the trees and jump across branch to branch.

"Ziio!" Haytham calls to me, unable to keep up.

"I'm right here!" I yell back. He's not far behind me, he won't get lost. "Don't worry. It's just ahead." The water starts to get louder and louder until I jump from the trees and do a Leap of Faith into the river. The icy cold water seeps into my veins and sends an exhilarating rush up my spine. As my head bobs up on the shore I take a nice breath of air. I feel my hair now slicked back to my head and my clothes wet, but the rush was all worth it. I slowly walk out of the water so my feet only dip into the river. Haytham stands next to me and looks with awe.

"This," I gesture to the river, "is what I wanted to show you. In your language, this river would be called the River of Truth." I turn around to watch the gently currents of the river flow.

"How did a river earn such a name?" Haytham slowly steps closer to me.

"Long ago, tensions rose amongst our villagers. Some disagreed on our past Clan Mother's actions, while others stayed faithful. Sparks rose and the fire of war was starting to spread. Before it could rise to high, the faithful villagers ran to the river and claimed it as Sanctuary. When the other villagers found them and all of the villagers were gathered. They claim to have seen a Goddess above them claiming truth and peace and blessing the river. The war was forgotten of with the blessings of the Goddess amongst them." I finish my story and turn back to Haytham. I look to him for assurance then gently touch his hand as an invitation. His warm hands instantly wrap around mine and his eyes lock with mine. "Haytham, I want you to tell me the truth."

**Haytham**

Her question takes me aback. But it's too late, I can't hide the surprise in my eyes. _I have to think fast. Should I lie? Do I lie? Should I tell her the truth? Will she be angry? I can't lose her again. _ I look back to her again with determination. _I know what to say._

"Ziio, you want to know the truth?" I ask her. She nods and urges me to continue. "The truth is, Ziio, that I love you. I always have and I always will. _I can't lose you again_. I will never leave you again."

She locks shocked for a second, then stays silent and looks away from me.

"Ziio." I repeat her name and she looks back into my eyes. "Please, marry me."

**Aww well isn't that just adorable? I'm glad I ended this with a happy note whereas the last chapter brewed a storm… O_o haha anyways expect the next chapter around…. Let's say Friday most likely? The next chapter will definitely be pretty long. Sorry if this was a little short, I just HAD to end it there ^_^**

**So thank you for your continued support. I know I always say this but I'm always amazed. I never thought this would go far or anywhere and I really want to thank you for that :) **

**Lots of love,**

**-Jenny**


	6. Haytham vs Shosheowa

**Chapter Six**

**Haytham vs. Shosheowa**

**Zitkala**

"Am I really going to have somebody new to play with?" Ratonhnhake:ton says in amazement. His dark skin and black hair matches his mother. His hair is in ruffles with a braid. However, his eyes are black… _Like his father's_. I rid the thought from my mind. _This child is too innocent._

"Indeed, my child." I kiss his cheek then point to my belly. "In fact, he grows in my belly each and every day."

"That is amazing!" Ratonhnhake:ton stares at my stomach as if he's never seen one before.

"You were in your mother's belly as well, Ratonhnhake:ton." I lie down on the grass with Ratonhnhake:ton on my belly.

"Really? That's impossible!" The boy looks like I showed him a whole new world. All of a sudden, he makes a disgusted face. "Then how did I get out?"

"We will discuss that another day." I laugh and shush him. My husband and Shosheowa walk through the village walls together, holding their hunt. Shosheowa immediately picks up Ratonhnhake:ton from my belly.

"How are you doing today, boy?" Shosheowa tries to kiss the boy. Ratonhnhake:ton instead frowns and turns away. I try to hide a little laugh. Every since Haytham arrived in the village, Ratonhnhake:ton showed a sudden disinterest with Shosheowa.

"Hello, my beautiful wife." Bagwunagijik lies on the grass next to me. "How is our child doing, my love?" Bagwunagijik rubs my belly.

"He hasn't kicked today yet. He seems to be sleeping quietly." I say with delight. Then we see Haytham and Kaniehti:io walk through the village walls holding hands. This makes Shosheowa place Ratonhnhake:ton on the grass. Bagwunagijik wants to stand up as well, but I stop him.

"Let them sort out their own problems, my love." I urge him.

**Ziio**

"Where _were_ you?" Shosheowa looks to me, then to Haytham in disgust. I stand in-between Haytham and Shosheowa in worry that Shosheowa would attack at any second.

"**_We_**," I gesture to Haytham behind me, "were at the River of Truth." I say in English.

"You took the Englishman to our sacred river?" Shosheowa also says in English.

"Shosheowa, please." I try to calm him down, then speak in our language, "Do not judge before you know. Let your wisdom guide you." I plead. Shosheowa seems to shrink a couple sizes calming down.

"We are to be _married_." Haytham laughs to Shosheowa. If Shosheowa wasn't mad before, now he's fuming.

"Haytham!" I turn around. _You idiot, I almost calmed him down._ I glare at Haytham until he looks down like a puppy that just got kicked.

"You are to be… **_married_**?!" Shosheowa tries to stay calm but screams out the last word. Haytham and I both take two steps away from him. "That's unfair. In the law of our village, if a man proposes to a woman multiple times, then another proposes and she accepts, both men shall compete in the woman's challenges. The winner is to be married." He then eyes down Haytham.

"That was never a rule!" I try to yell out, but Haytham beats me to it.

"Okay. I accept your challenge." I look behind me to see Haytham determined. "I'm going to win you fairly, Ziio." He then whispers in my ear for only me to hear, "Even though we both know you love me more." I try not to laugh then face both of them.

"You know it won't be easy." I warn them. They both nod. "So your challenges are…" I then pause to think. _How should I approach this…_

**Haytham**

"You must first try and claim a kiss from my son. My husband must be a friend of my son. Next, you must jump from a tree to the River of Truth. My husband must be brave. Next you must… Pick me three white wildflowers. You shall then return here. The first man to return will be my husband." Shosheowa instantly darts off to Connor. Ziio smiles to me then mouths, "Good luck."

_This is too easy. Obviously, this was shaped for me. Connor likes me better. She just showed me the River of Truth and how to do a Leap of Faith from a tree branch. Three white flowers…. Not too hard. After all that I can easily outrun Shosheowa back to the village._

"Hello, Connor." I smile and keep my arms open. Connor instantly leaves Shosheowa and runs into my arms. "Give me a kiss?"

Connor instantly kisses my cheek without hesitation.

"Thank you Connor." I say as I get back up. "I have to go now, but you won't regret this tomorrow!" I yell as I run out of the village. _So… River of Truth. _I remember Ziio running straight in the forest until she reaches the valley, finally she turns left and follows the trees. I follow her directions and sprint on my way.

_I can't believe it. I'm finally going to marry her. Ziio. The only woman I've loved. I regret every second I've spent away from her. After everything, I still love her. I always have. I am going to marry her and make her my wife. _

Then I remember the Templars…

_The Templars can wait._

**Shosheowa**

"Ratonhnhake:ton, my son, give me a kiss?" I still try and coo the child. Zitkala, Bagwunagijik and Kaniehti:io lay on the grass watching us.

"Shosheowa," Kaniehti:io stands up and picks up her son. "Perhaps you should skip this step. You've spent quite a while with Ratonhnhake:ton. At this rate Haytham will already be at the River of Truth."

"No." I say simply, "Haytham will not skip it, so I will not. I shall win this fairly."

Kaniehti:io rolls her eyes then leans forward so her son is to my face.

"Connor, give Shosheowa a kiss." She sings to him. Obediently, the boy reluctantly scoots forward and pecks my cheek. "There's your kiss. You're too far behind now, it's almost unfair. Go."

As I run away I remember the face she gave me. It's as if she pities me.

**Haytham**

_Let's see… When Ziio did this she gracefully jumped and practically danced on each branch gracefully with balance._ I try to remember how Ziio tree climbed earlier when she showed me the River of Truth. As I jump to the nearest branch, my foot wobbles leaving me off balance. My stomach starts to dip down as I start to freefall to the ground. Thankfully, with my experience as a Templar, my hand grabs the branch on instinct before I could fall. When I pull myself back up and jump to the next branch, the river is insight. The currents look calm and relaxed.

I keep on jumping from branch to branch, from tree to tree, until the river is directly under me. With my body acting on instinct again, my arms form a T shape readying myself to fall. My feet leap off the branch. My body starts to plummet to the river. I feel the familiar rush of performing a Leap of Faith. I turn in midair so my back is facing the river under me now. The wind greets my face as an old friend. I close my eyes and enjoy the motion of falling. Without a warning, I feel a pang on my back as I hit the water. The icy cold water dances through my body, sending chills up to my heart. My arms push me up to the surface of the water and I run out of the river.

**Shosheowa**

I laugh as I practically run on the tree tops. I've been tree climbing ever since I was a little boy. _This should be easy enough_. It's a matter of seconds until the river is under me. The currents are now wild and rough. _No matter._ Without second-guessing myself, I dive into the water.

When I float back to the surface, I see Haytham running on the path back to the village. Perhaps his strategy is to stay on the path so he won't get lost on his search for wildflowers. He most likely hopes to find wild flowers on the way back.

I smile to myself. I know the forest better than anyone in the village. _I am going to marry Kaniehti_:_io._

**Ziio**

I lie back down and relax on the grass next to Zitkala and her husband.

"Kaniehti:io, dear, are you sure you are making the right choice?" Zitkala asks me while touching my hand. She looks genuinely concerned for me.

"Zitkala, I love him." I say to her. She frowns, but understands. "It is a pity we cannot chose whom our heart goes to. It just… Happened."

"I understand." Zitkala nods to me. It seems that her hatred toward the foreigner has subsided. She understands now. "I will tell my sister as well. My husband… He already understands."

"Thank you." I hug my dear friend. It's as if she's my own sister. The family I've never had.

**Haytham**

I walk along the path back to the village while searching for some white tipped wildflowers. I scan the ground as I pace myself following the trees. _Let's see… Wildflowers…_ I walk to the village and back twice in failure of finding any. _Damn Ziio… Why wildflowers? Why can't I just get you rabbit skin? Girls love rabbit skin, right? _The sun starts to set. _At this rate Shosheowa is probably back to the village by now._ My heart seems to stop dead. I collapse on the floor with my head between my knees. _I can't let that happen, no matter what. _When I look up, to my surprise, I see Shosheowa darting around the forest. He must be looking for wildflowers as well, with no such luck. _So be it… My experience as a Templar has given me a certain advantage. I will tail the poor man to the wildflowers, then beat him back to the village._

I follow Shosheowa as he continues to sprint around the forest. Finally, he starts to slow down. _He must be close to the flowers._ Shosheowa must feel the sensation of being watched. He then turns around to check for any followers. On instinct I dart behind the nearest tree trunk and peak over the edge. When he decides he hasn't been followed, he bends down.

"One, two, and three beautiful white wildflowers." He says to himself. Instantly, he darts off in the other direction. _Perfect._ I bend down to the patch to see an abundance of white wildflowers. I help myself to three then race to the village.

_I will marry Ziio._

**Ziio**

"They should be back by now." Zitkala says as she looks to the skies. "The sun has set a few moments ago."

"Mother, I hope Haytham wins." Connor says to me as I pick him up from the grass.

"You shouldn't say such things, my child!" I shush him, but whisper so only he can hear, "But I hope your father wins as well." He giggles, and then hugs me as I hold him. We all watch the gates together, eager to see who will be my husband.

I start to hear distressed footsteps. They get louder and louder, digging into the dirt, and then darting off. I feel my heart starting to beat faster. Soft wind braids through my hair. _Haytham, please._

"Is that four footsteps?" Zitkala asks. My heart beats faster and faster as I try to concentrate on my hearing. _Four footsteps_… That must mean Haytham and Shosheowa are racing back. _Please, Haytham. Let it be you._

Finally, I watch as Shosheowa darts through the village walls. Within the millisecond gap, I feel my heart sink to the bottom. _It can't be._ I feel my heart being raised far, far, up to the heavens as I see Haytham right next to him. As they both run inside, they drop to the ground panting.

"I won!" Shosheowa says in triumph.

"No, I won!" Haytham tries to argue.

"They both came at the same time…" Zitkala rubs her forehead, puzzled as what to do now.

"Father!" I put Connor back on the floor as he runs to go and hug Haytham. _What happens now? I can't marry both. Does this mean I choose? _I look to the two men on the floor. _Shosheowa has known me my entire lifetime. We grew up together. He's proposed to me countless times, but I've refused. If I cared about fairness I would marry him. But I can't. My heart has been stolen. _

"There is only one thing we can do now." Bagwunagijik announces. "You must duel for Kaniehti:io." Shosheowa looks up to Bagwunagijik as if he's been betrayed.

"I am sorry, my friend, but this is the only way." Bagwunagijik says.

"Connor, come to me." I call Connor so he could get away from the fighting. Even before Connor is halfway to me, Haytham and Shosheowa are already exchanging death glares and starting to stretch.

Without a warning, Shosheowa throws his fist into the air. It would've hit Haytham's face if he hasn't dodged. I feel like he easily could've grabbed his wrist, and forced him to submit, ending the fight there. Shosheowa keeps on trying to jab Haytham, but he continuously dodges. It's been minutes with this going on. I feel my body grow stiff.

_All that Haytham is doing is dodging. Haytham hasn't even tried to hit Shosheowa yet. However, at this rate Shosheowa should've been tired out. But Shosheowa isn't a normal man. He has the stamina of a bear, and the strength of a tiger. All that he doesn't have is the agility like Haytham. Perhaps what Haytham is trying to do is to tire out Shosheowa. If this goes on, it will be Haytham that loses._

I want to yell and warn Haytham, but he has to figure this out himself. _I have faith._

**Haytham**

I keep on dodging Shosheowa's attacks. I feel like this has gone on for days. I feel my body start to slow down. With my stamina shrinking, Shosheowa's arm grazes mine as he tries to punch me. I quickly dodge, but stop to breathe. _This man is insane. _I dodge again as he tries to punch my face. _If dodging won't work, I'll have to resort to other tactics._ I ready myself as Shosheowa tries to punch me again. I grab his arm then push him away.

I can't hit him. Something in my heart tells me not to. Somewhere, deep down, under all my hatred, there's a place in my heart for good. _Maybe I'm not so bad after all._ I stop to smile, but Shosheowa makes no such hesitation.

"Will you ever give up?" Shosheowa shouts. Perhaps this is his attempt to taunt me. I laugh as I grab his arm.

"No. I will never give up." I say in a matter-of-fact tone. I pull his arm so he comes closer to me.

"Ziio is worth fighting for." I punch his back.

"I love her." I punch his back again until he falls down.

"I win." I whisper as he falls unconscious.

**….and…! So that's it! :) So yeah Haytham won! Let's all throw a party together! Haha anyways the next chapter will be a special one! I'll give you a hint… **

**The name of the next chapter is….**

**DRUMROLL**

**"The Wedding"**

**So thank you again for reading this and just for everything! I seriously like agh I just fangirl sometimes over just all of you! So I just want to take a chance to say… Thank you. Like Foreals. :)**

**Lots of Love,**

**-Jenny**


	7. Joined For Eternity

**Chapter Seven**

**Joined for Eternity**

**Ziio**

"You have a request for me, my child?" Clan Mother sits regally in her chair in front of me. Haytham is out in the forest playing with Connor. Shosheowa stands next to Clan Mother as her guard. He refuses to make eye contact with me and instead looks around the tent as if he's never been inside before.

"I am to request a marriage." I say as if it's no big deal. Shosheowa cringes and finally decides to look at me. His eyes aren't filled with rage. Instead, he's empty without emotions.

"May I ask who you are to marry?" Clan Mother smiles warmly to me.

"Haytham Kenway." Shosheowa says for me. We all look to him. Shosheowa shrugs then looks away.

"The prisoner you took to me for judgment?" Clan Mother crosses her arms.

"Yes, Clan Mother." I look down in defeat. I remember her telling me before about how I'd give in. Of course she was right.

"No. I have decided to take him as prisoner now. My judgment was wrong. There is no good in him." Clan Mother says.

**Haytham**

"What shall we play?" Connor asks me as I put him down on the grass. Trees surround us, but I made sure that no animals have been here recently, only harmless bunnies and deer. The child goes to a bush and smells it.

"There is a game I want to teach you." I say to him. "It's called hide-and-seek."

His head perks up in excitement after I say the word "game".

"A game? Teach me!" Connor runs to me, grabs my hand, and jumps up and down from excitement.

"It's only a game for big kids. It's easy to get lost." I warn him. "There are risks to everything, Connor."

"I'm brave! I'm a big kid." Connor stands up tall and puffs up his chest as if to look stronger. He then looks to me with admiration. "When I grow up I'm going to be a man like you, father."

"No you don't." I say too quickly. _A man like me? This child only sees kindness and all good in the world. I would die before it would get taken away from him. I would rather die than look into my own son's eyes and watch the darkness I once possessed dance inside him._

"Why wouldn't I? You're perfect! I bet there's nothing you don't know and that you're afraid of nothing." Connor says as if boasting about me. "All of my friends are going to be jealous that they don't have a father like you."

_All of his friends will be happy they never will have to have a father like me. _

"Connor, you're getting off track." I shake my head and change the subject. "Back to the game. It's very dangerous and easy to get lost."

"I know, father, I know." Connor rolls his eyes.

"This is how you play…"

**Ziio**

The room grows silent around me. Shosheowa stays emotionless. Clan Mother's face is also like stone, refusing to show any sign. I bow my head down. _I should've known it would come to this. _

"What will you do now, Kaniehti:io?"

"I…" My voice falters._ Haytham is to be killed. He will be taken away from me once again and killed. Connor will grow up without a father. I will have to live with the guilt and regret. I will have to live without any content. Maybe I'm selfish. Maybe I'm selfish for wanting a better life. _"I won't let you."

I look back up to the Clan Mother._ I grew up here. I don't have a family. She is my mother. This is the only life I've ever known. This will mean exile. Maybe I will even be killed along with Haytham. I'd rather die than live no life at all._ I feel anger start to rise inside of me.

"Kaniehti:io, no! You can't do this." Shosheowa yells to me. He looks angry and scared. Shosheowa walks away from his post and grabs my shoulders. "You're not thinking straight. You can't do this."

"I love him, Shosheowa. Can't you see that?" I scream to him. Shosheowa looks down and cowers like a puppy. "I would rather die than live no life at all."

_I am a fighter._ I shake Shosheowa off of me. _I am not some girl that will be tinted any color that is given to me._ I get ready to punch Shosheowa, balling my hand into a fist and raising it high into the air.

"Enough, Kaniehti:io." Clan Mother tries to say calmly, but her voice booms through our ears. Shosheowa instantly walks away from me and back to his post. I reluctantly freeze with my fist still in the air. "Kaniehti:io."

Clan Mother repeats my name. I reluctantly drop my first.

"You have passed the test. You are to be married tomorrow with Zaltana and Abhi:jit." Her face turns from stone to a sweet smile. "I have given my judgment. You may go now."

I feel muscles in my face relax. I slowly breathe out then back in. _I was just about to sacrifice everything for him._

**Zaltana**

"It will be alright." Abhi:jit assures me. I only realize now that I've been squeezing his arm. I relax and breathe out.

"I heard screaming." I say. Abhi:jit and I stand outside the Clan Mother's tent. Kaniehti:io went inside to get her marriage approved. "Screaming could only mean…" I don't want to finish my sentence.

"Hush. They come now." Kaniehti:io slowly walks out of the tent. She looks like she was given a puppy and was told to eat it alive. Abhi:jit calls her name, "Kaniehti:io."

When she hears her name she looks to us. She instantly hides her emotions and puts on a curtain of happiness.

"She approved." Kaniehti:io smiles and acts excited.

"That is wonderful." I say. _What about the screaming?_

"We are to be married on the same day tomorrow." Kaniehti:io gestures to Abhi:jit and I.

"That is great to hear." I say. _What really happened inside the tent?_ I give in to my curiosity. And touch her hand. "Kaniehti:io, tell me. What is the matter?"

"Nothing is the matter, my friend." She tries to smile to me. "I need to go… We have a wedding to plan."

"Of course." I say as I release her hand. _You're lying._

**Ziio**

I walk back to my longhouse and recall my conversation with the Clan Mother. _I was ready to drop everything for him. I was ready to leave the only life I've ever known. I was ready to sacrifice everything for Haytham. I was ready to leave my friends, my only home, my people, my culture, everything. _

I drop to my knees and hug my chest. _Why? Why must my heart act so irrationally? Why do I do this? Why is it that Haytham was able to make such an impact on me? I've only known Haytham for a short while. There's a slim chance he's ever loved me. He created life then simply left me. He left me and the child I bear. I guess there was a positive outcome from Haytham's absence. I've never known the loving of a child. I've never known of a child as lovable as Connor. Connor gave me all the love Haytham took away. I feared that Connor will grow to a man without knowing of a father. Then Haytham returned. I wasn't sure of what to think. _

_"Is this real?"_

_ "Do I forgive him?" _

_"I can't forgive him." _

_"I would very much enjoy making his life a living hell."_

_ "I want to hurt him the way I did."_

_ "Will Connor have a father?"_

_"Is he worthy of forgiveness?" _

I suddenly realize that the dirt under me is contaminated by my tear droplets. I don't care. I let the suffering release itself from me.

"Ziio?" I hear Haytham's voice echo in my head. "Ziio!"

The voice gets louder and louder I believe it's real. I look up to find Haytham hovering over me. He holds Connor's hand as they both watch me. I blink out the last tears and stand up. I pull Haytham to me and tightly embrace him.

"Should I ask what's wrong?" He whispers to me.

"No." I lie. "Just wedding frights."

"Okay." He says. He knows I'm lying. I pull away then kiss Connor's cheek.

"Mother! I'm a big boy now. Father says I'm going to be a strong warrior when I grow up." Connor frowns and wipes away his cheek in disgust.

"Darling, that's when you grow up. For now let your mother love you." I hug my child. _I have all the love I need._

**NEXT DAY**

**Haytham**

"We are having a Mohawk wedding, are we not?" I asks her. We both stand in the forest together. Ziio decided to wake him up early so we could enjoy the morning together before the ceremony. I hold a box in my hands.

"A traditional wedding." She nods.

"I want you to have some of my culture." I slowly hand her the box. "In my culture the bride wears a white dress."

She opens the box and pulls out the garment. It looks like something thick enough for it to be a blanket. When she drops it down and holds the sleeves I find that the skirt has tiers. There are a few extra ruffles on the back.

"It looks rather… odd." she raises an eyebrow and flips over the dress further examining it.

"If you think so then it is alright." I reach out ready to take back the dress.

"No, it is fine." I sigh and hold the dress to me. "You have sacrificed enough. I should acknowledge the way of your people as well."

I feel a pang of guilt inside me. "_Sacrifice". If only I could tell her about Boston._

"Are you okay?" She looks back to me.

"No." I shake my head and lie to her. "Wedding frights."

"Okay." She knows I lied.

"I should go. There are preparations to be made I'm sure." I say to her. She looks to me as if expecting me to lie again. "I'll see you at the ceremony."

"Goodbye, Haytham." I hear her say as I walk away.

**Ziio**

I frown and squirm inside the costume.

"Zaltana, are you sure you tied the bodice right? I can't breathe." I hold the wall for support and take short breaths.

"I am sure." Zaltana retreats from her room and to where I am. "In my visits to the city I bought various dresses and tried them on. The woman tied them exactly as I did."

Zaltana wears a traditional Mohawk wedding dress. She has her hair in braids and a feather in it as I usually do. Zaltana is the only villager other than I that is fascinated by the pale faces. She would take visits to the city and bring back strange items. I slowly breathe out and release my hair. Even though it's been in braids, my hair falls down straight._ If she really did tie the dress right, I can't imagine how the English Woman wear this on a daily basis._

"You look beautiful, Kaniehti:io. But you're missing something." Zaltana walks closer to me and places a white feather behind my ear. "You need at least one piece from your tribe on your wedding day.

"Of course." I nod. I wish I could see my reflection. I would have to take Zaltana's word on my appearance. I watch as the sun burns to its brightest.

"It appears to be time." Zaltana says also looking out of the window. "Are you ready?"

I turn away from the window to look to my friend.

"I am nervous." I admit.

"There is no need for nervousness." She shakes her head and hugs me. "If the love is true you'll be better than you were yesterday."

"I wish you and Abhi:jit the best." I hug my friend back. Because I am taller than Zaltana I feel like a mother hugging her child.

"I wish you and Haytham the best." She says to me. She then pulls away so I could see the honesty in her eyes. "Let us go, Kaniehti:io. Let us be married."

"Let us go." I nod.

**Later**…

**Haytham**

Ziio sits next to me as does her friend and her husband. The villagers stand behind us with Ziio's other friend holding Connor. After the Clan Mother finishes questioning the other couple she then goes to us.

"What is your name?" The Clan Mother asks Ziio in English.

"Kaniehti:io." She says.

"Do you believe you are capable to fulfill the responsibilities of marriage?" The Clan Mother asks.

"Yes."

"Are you prepared to be the wife of the man that you have chosen for the rest of your life?"

"Yes."

"Will you care for your husband if he becomes ill?"

"When it is dinner time and your children are out playing with other children, you are to call all the children in to eat and if they have soiled faces you will wash their faces as if they all were your children. Do you accept this responsibility?"

"Yes."

"What is your name?" The Clan Mother then turns to me.

"Haytham Kenway." I say.

"Do you believe you are capable to fulfill the responsibilities of marriage?" The Clan Mother asks.

"Yes."

"Are you prepared to be the husband of the woman that you have chosen for the rest of your life?"

"Yes."

"Will you care for your wife if she becomes ill?"

"When it is dinner time and there is no food on the table for you and your wife and your children, will you hunt for the food?"

"Yes." I try not to laugh. _That's funny. I'd like to see her watch me try to hunt._

"Do you pledge to the Goddess that blessed us with her visit many years ago, that you may accept the responsibility of marriage?" The Clan Mother asks both Ziio and I.

"Yes." We say together.

"You are now joined together for eternity. May the Goddess be witness." Clan Mother says to us.

**LATER**

**Ziio**

"Joined for eternity." I remember the Clan Mother when she bound Haytham and I together. I don't feel any difference.

"Wait." Haytham says to me before we could enter my home. The night is above us. The moon shines as witness. I wait.

"What is wrong?" I ask him.

"I must go to Boston tomorrow." He looks to me. "I am sorry. I have to leave now."

His eyes are filled with sorrow.

"Are you ready for what awaits you in Boston?" I ask him before I could stop myself.

"You know?" He also blurts out. He seems surprised.

"Of course I know. I knew it the day you returned. You never left. But I have faith." I say with confidence. It's as if we're repeating when I confessed to him in the cave. I speak calmly as I did before two years ago, but Haytham doesn't reply. He instead stands there shocked.

"Thank you for the kindness you have showed me, Ziio." He says and looks back up to me. I reach up to him and kiss him as I did two years ago. I remember the familiar feeling. The rush and the love. I made the right choice.

"Return to me, my husband." I say while still holding his face to mine.

"As you wish, my wife." He promises me.

**I almost don't want to put an outro due to the major cuteness!**

**But anyways I felt like an apology is definitely due for the lateness of this chapter. I have an excuse though. My recital is this Saturday and I've been so nervous and practicing even though I am majorly sick (which is another reason why this is late.) I feel really bad so I decided to make this extra longer than usual. In the program I'm using to write this, this takes up eight pages! (the usual is 5). **

**Also, sorry if I made the actual wedding ceremony short. I didn't want to spend so much time on the details and wanted to get to the point so the ending was extra dramatic.**

**Thank you loads and loads for supporting. I actually have a contest for you guys that I will announce with more details on my next chapter. I decided that because you support me so much I wanted to reward you in my own type of way :)**

**So until next time, byeeee~**

**-Jenny**


	8. Goodbye

**Chapter Eight**

**Goodbye**

**Ziio**

My hand rises to my eyes as a shield from the sunlight. The damp grass lies under me as Connor plays in the forest next to me. _I was married yesterday. I was married to Haytham. _It still feels foreign and unreal to me. My hair is still let down from my braids with the feather placed behind my ear.

"Mother", Connor says to me impatiently, "When is father returning?"

"Be patient, my son." I say then look at Connor. His hair is wild with dirt on his face. "Where have you been this morning?"

"I've been training of course. I'm a fighter, and not a child." Connor scowls.

"I'm guessing Haytham told you that?" I raise an eyebrow to my son.

"Something of that sort." Connor crosses his arms.

"Come here, my son." I open my arms as Connor reluctantly walks to me. When he sits down I start to braid a strand of his hair.

"Long ago, the greatest warriors would have a braid in their hair. To cut off their braid is like cutting off their heart. To have a braid was the greatest honor." I say as I continue to cross three strands across each other, creating a braid.

"So I'm a warrior now?" Connor starts to smile.

"Yes." I smile back to my son. _My dear son. If only your father could return._

**Haytham**

Boston is the same as it always has been. The streets are cramped and smell of waste. The cobblestone streets clack against my boots. The sky is clear, but starts to turn dark. With winter just ahead, a bitter cold wind dances across my arms. Couples argue along the sidewalk. The market is bustling with energy. Women gossip about news from England. I've never enjoyed Boston.

Maybe I dislike Boston so much now because of its contrast from the village. I obviously don't belong in the village. I've never been welcomed. The natives hate me and treat me like a true savage. But I don't belong in the colonies either. Nor has England ever felt like a home to me. _Where do I belong?_

I walk in front of the usual meeting place. It's the closest to the mountains and farthest away from the chaos that Boston is. This time my hand doesn't hesitate. My hand instead flies to the handle and yanks open the door as I storm in.

As soon as I enter, everybody's heads look to my direction. The tavern is deserted, besides three men. The men are meaty and muscled, and look as if they could be mercenaries.

"Oi, what do you think you're doing?" A meaty man stands up from leaning against the wall and tries to intimidate me.

"Excuse me?" I ask in disbelief. Two other brutes his size also walks towards me.

"I said, what do you think you're doing, muttonhead?" The same brute repeats.

"Well, now", I pause and size up my enemies; "now I am going to feed you your teeth."

The man, enraged, throws a fist at me. I duck, causing him to punch his friend behind me. The man to my left tries to grab me. I break loose and throw him over me as a counter. The three men are now injured, but don't seem to give up. A man goes behind me and tries to punch me from behind. My hands go behind my back and grab his arm. I twist his arm until he cries in pain, and then throw him into the nearest table. _One down, two more left._ The other two seem to have an idea that if they could punch me at both sides at the same time, I'd be done for. However, I duck, causing them to brutally punch each other. When they cringe in pain I grab one man and throw him into the other, causing them both to fall on top of a table breaking it. Another man sneaks up behind me. I turn around and try to punch him, but he ducks.

"Haytham, oh how we've missed you!" Charles Lee gets back up and pats me on the back. I drop my fists and frown. He then points to the three men on the floor writhing in pain. "Sorry about those men over there. It's just that you've been gone for a while, so we wanted to see if you still have some skill. Consider this as a greeting."

"Where are the rest of the men?" I ask.

"They're out getting drunk with whores." Charles laughs then says, "It was all Hickey's idea."

"Of course." I sigh. "Charles, do you have a moment?"

"Yes, sir." Charles nods then expects me to continue.

"No." I shake my head then lead him outside. "It is not to be spoken here."

The wind greets us. The first snowflake of winter gently drifts down and lands on my nose. More snowflakes drop down upon us. I follow the path out to the forest. I tread down the trail until I'm sure nobody is to hear us.

"Sir, I must ask. What is this all about?" Charles questions me.

"I think of you as my apprentice, Charles. Do you understand that? Out of all of my men I trust you the most." I try to say quietly. Charles Lee nods. "Good. Do you happen to remember that Mohawk woman? She's the woman that helped us to kill Braddock before."

"Of course, she's the reason we're here. She's the key to what we need-" Charles Lee starts to say, but I stop him.

"I was married last night, Charles." I say to him. Charles stares at me wide-eyed as his mouth drops. He seems to stay as still as stone forever.

"That can't be true, sir." Charles starts to say.

"It is true." I tell him. The man falls silent again and looks down to the ground. The snow now completely covers the floor. Silence befalls us, other than the howling wind.

"If what you say is true, then we can't stay here. We can't risk you… _falling in love_. You have to leave now." Charles Lee says spits out.

"No. I am intent to stay with my wife…" I decide to leave out the part of Connor. The boy will never be safe if the knowledge of his existence falls into the wrong hands. I shake my head and take a deep breath. _The time is now. _"I am leaving the Order. This is final." This seems to strike Charles as if I've spoken a foreign language to him.

"If that is so, then I will have to kill you." Charles Lee takes a step away from me. His eyes now look to me as ice. We both stay silent. More snow falls on top of us. It's almost as if he's waiting for me to change my mind. "You truly are insane. You're no better than Braddock, or those _A_ssassins_. _But your death is not written by my hands. I spare you, Haytham. Now go, and leave to your savages."

I want to hit the boy. Anger boils inside me. _How dare he. How dare he insult me so._ But instead I turn around in the direction back up the mountain to Ziio's village. _Home._

"Goodbye, Charles Lee." I say before I start to walk.

"Goodbye, Haytham." He says coldly.

**Is Haytham truly left from The Order?**

**Will the village accept Haytham?**

**How will The Order react if Charles Lee tells them about Haytham's marriage?**

**What was your reaction?**

**What do you think will happen next? :)**

**NOTE: My apologies for the delay of publishing this chapter (wow, it's been more than a week)! Also, sorry for it being short, but it had to end there. At least good came out of it! But I can promise you that the next chapter is going to be even better :)**

**Thank you so much for reading!**

**-Jenny**


	9. Brief Happiness

**Chapter Nine**

**Brief Happiness **

**Ziio**

As I exit the longhouse, I see the land covered with snow. Snow now falls on my head and greets me like an old friend. I smile to myself and hold out my right hand. More snowflakes dance along my palm until it melts from my heat. Winter has always been the most fascinating to me. _What makes the snow fall? What makes the plants shrivel and die? What makes the wolves come out to play? _Or perhaps winter has left an impression on me because I met Haytham in the wintertime. Either way, I don't mind.

All of the villagers are asleep now. I'm the only one conscious. I don't mind the cold. Instead, I walk to the village walls. _He hasn't returned yet._ My hair starts to slightly lift from the wind. I feel the breeze jump across my skin and leave an exhilarating taste. I see the path from here. I see where I want Haytham to be walking right now. I see only a dream. No matter the bitter wind. I wait. I stand in front of the gates as I watch the path for my husband. I finally see a figure manifest on the path. He tracks through the snow and pulls his arms across his chest for whatever warmth. When he gets closer, I could make out his tipped hat and cloak. _It appears that my husband has arrived._

When he comes in arms-distance, none of us speak. Instead, I throw myself to him. He catches me and holds me close to him.

"It is finished." He whispers to me.

"The deed is done?" I ask.

"I have left." He assures me. I wonder if we really speak of the same thing. I wonder if he knows what I refer to. I know the truth. He never left the Templars when he came back to me. If what he's telling me now is true, then he just now officially left.

"Follow me." I tell him. He nods and ushers for me to lead. I walk to the longhouse where Connor sleeps. Instead of entering, I walk to behind the house.

"Where are we going?" He asks me. Instead of answering, I get on my knees and use my hand to try to uncover the snow from the ground. Sure enough, the land is marked with five stones forming an **X**. I pluck the stones from the ground and start digging. When Haytham realizes what I'm doing, he gets on his knees to help me as well. When he sees the glint of metal, he stops and looks to me.

"These are my weapons." He says rather than asks.

"You have somehow regained my trust." I say as I haul out his sword, switchblade, pistol, and daggers.

**The Next Morning**

**Connor**

"Why can't I see my father?" I whine as Zitkala holds me.

"Connor, you can't see your mother and father because they are going somewhere today." Zitkala says to me as she plays with my hair.

"Why couldn't I come?" I say impatiently, "I want to go to the forest again with my father."

"It will have to wait." Zitkala smiles to me. I frown, but I couldn't help but give in.

**Haytham**

"Where are we going?" I ask Ziio. She doesn't answer me. Instead, she continues to walk through the forest. We've ventured away from the usual path now, but this time we've turned a different way than Boston.

"I want you to meet someone." She tells me as we walk along the forest. "I believe that you are ready to meet him."

"Well, how far away is it?" I ask impatiently as I brush a tree branch from my face. "Plus, what do you mean by 'I'm ready'?"

"Patience, Haytham. We are almost there." Ziio tells me. We've been walking for what feels like forever. It's already afternoon, and we've departed from the village at dawn. The weather doesn't seem to be at our side either. With winter beginning, bitter winds chill me to the bones. I feel the need to wrap my cape around my arms. When we finally exit the last of the trees, I see a few houses scattered. One mansion stands out and stands tall with its red bricks and tall white pillars.

"I… I know of this place." I say in a trance. Some time ago, when I Charles Lee was recently recruited as a Templar, he ordered an attack on the Colonial Assassins. He led his army here, where they attacked the homestead and frontier. This is what is left of the Colonial Assassins. _So this is what Ziio meant._

Instead of looking back to check on me, she continues to lead me to the mansion. She doesn't look to see my reaction. Her hands go to knock on the front door. Within seconds, a man opens the door. The man looks like he could be ten or twenty years older than me.

"Hello, Ziio, my friend." The man smiles and greets Ziio warmly. It appears that I'm not the only one who couldn't pronounce Ziio's real name, so we decided to call her by her nickname.

"Hello, Achilles." Ziio says in her usual calm voice, "I have someone that I want you to meet. He is my husband."

Ziio then sidesteps so I'm in front of the door. The man doesn't frown, but he doesn't keep his smile on either.

"Ziio, my dear, it seems that we have already met." Achilles says. I hold out my hand to shake the man's, but he doesn't offer me his hand. "You have married Haytham Kenway, the Grandmaster of the Templars."

I freeze. I don't know what to do. I look behind me to Ziio, but her face remains calm. It's as if the man didn't say anything at all. My hand is still awkwardly between the man and I.

"Well, do come in." The man says, but still doesn't sound enthusiastic. He decides to shake my hand now. "I am Achilles Davenport."

Achilles ushers Ziio and I inside the mansion, and motions for us to sit down.

"Why have you brought this man here, Ziio?" Achilles doesn't sound mad, but as if he genuinely worries for Ziio. Maybe he thinks that I will harm her, or that I already have.

"He can explain himself better than I." Ziio says, then looks to me. I look confused, but she nods telling me to tell my story.

"My father was an Assassin." I start. Achilles' face turns grimmer. "I betrayed him, and joined the Templar Order. They appointed me as Grandmaster, and sent me to the Colonies. Here, I met Ziio. We made a deal, so she helped me if I killed Braddock. After she learned I was a Templar, she refused to stay with me and so I left. But that was two years ago. Now, we have a son. I wish to stay here with my family. I left the Templars." I finish. Achilles breaths deeply as if my words have dissolved into air.

"One does not simply _leave_ the _Templars_." Achilles says while touching his forehead.

"I am aware." I frown. "But I hope the peace will last for however long it can. I know that sometime I will have to face my fate."

_So this is why Ziio brought me to Achilles. Ziio doesn't intend to recruit me as an Assassin, or at least not yet. Ziio instead wants to show me the options and that I'm not alone. I don't have to be alone._

**REUNITED BOOK PART TWO**

**THREE YEARS LATER**

**Haytham **

"You're back!" Ziio tries to run to me. I stand outside of the village walls, holding the product of my hunting trip. She looks at the little meat I brought back and frowns. "You didn't bring much."

"What did you expect of me? Bagwunagijik and Shosheowa are still out there hunting, but I decided to return when I realized I'm a lost cause." Ziio laughs and kisses me. "How is our child?"

When Ziio lets go of me, I bend down to stare at awe at her stomach. Because Ziio has a petite figure, her belly looks even odder on her than when Zitkala and Zaltana bore children.

"He grows every second." Ziio says as I rub her belly. "He's been kicking often today while you were gone. In fact, he's been constantly giving me more pain than usual today."

"Why do you have to cause your mother pain?" I ask her belly. "Please, stop hurting her. Do this for your father?"

As if her womb could understand me, the baby instantly stopped squirming as I placed my hand over her stomach again.

"The child loves you more than I." Ziio jokes.

"Don't say that." I get back up to kiss her cheek. "Speaking of children, where is our little Connie?"

"You know he hates it when you call him Connie." Ziio laughs. "But he is behind our longhouse '_training'_."

She has always disapproved of Connor's longing to become a "strong warrior". Ever since he was two, something snapped in him and made him "want to be like me". Ziio believes that Connor is too small and precious for the life he wants.

"It's not that I don't support him." Ziio says when she notices my frown. "I will support Connor in any path he chooses. I just don't want to see him get hurt."

"I know. Here, I'll go help him with his 'training.'"

Ziio takes whatever meat I got from hunting and goes to dry it. I go inside the village to see Connor. Connor is five now. Connor is thin compared to the other villagers' children, but he is also by far the strongest. His black raven hair now falls to his shoulders. He wears a tarp robe with leggings and his necklace. He uses a stick as a sword and repeatedly jabs at the air.

"Father, you're back!" Connor smiles and stops training to greet me.

"Those aren't the correct formations I taught you." I say, remembering how he constantly jabbed at the air. "Before I left, I taught you how to counter-blow and block. Toss me a stick."

Connor obeys and tosses me a thick branch that could serve a proper beating. He then distances himself from me, and plants his feet shoulder-width apart.

"You're too stiff. If I stab you there's no way you'll be able to counter it." I criticize Connor. He nods and loosens his shoulders, but tightens his abdomen. "Here, come at me."

Connor raises the stick and tries to slash my shoulder. My right hand raises my "sword" and deflects Connor's. I spin my sword around so Connor now stands open for attack. I then grab his shoulder and point the stick to his back.

"You died." I say. "Counter-blows will serve you the most in battles. Most enemies that you will encounter will try to show off their strength and slice you up. Instead, try to put your reflexes to work and deflect the blow."

I try to stab Connor this time. His posture is too stiff. He raises his arm to deflect the stick, but I easily sidestep behind him and "kill" him again.

"_Come on, **Connie**. Is that all you got_?" I taunt him. Now Connor is in a rage. Instead of waiting for me to attack him, he tries to lash at me himself. I quickly step away from him before he could hurt anyone, but his arm reaches toward me, sending the stick to my body. I use my two hands to block the blow. Knowing he was blocked, he quickly pulls the sword back like a snake. When I continue to get further away from him, he gives up and puts the stick next to his ear and holds it up. Next thing I know, the stick is airborne, flying through the air. My hand was just quick enough to catch it safely before it could hurt anything.

"Great. But next time, don't throw your sword." I toss Connor back his stick. He doesn't smile, and tries to act mad at me.

"Ratonhnhake:ton, there you are!" One of the village children runs behind the longhouse to where Connor and I practice sword fighting. I recognize the boy. The boy has a name I could never learn to pronounce, but he's one of Connor's friends. He is chubby, and has a feather on the back of his hair. "Come play with us. The men are still out hunting and we're bored."

Connor looks at me for permission.

"Go on. But do not venture past the valley." When Connor hears my words of approval, he and his friend rush past me towards the forest. I lecture him, "And don't get your clothes dirty, it took your mother a long while to get the stains out."

"Yes, father." He says boringly as he exits the village.

**Ziio**

I play with the child on my lap. She is as small as Connor was when he was two as well. She has dark skin like her parents, and long coal black hair. I comb through her hair wanting to braid it, but it looks beautifully let down. Instead, I decide to place a feather behind her ear. I smile as I remember my wedding day.

"Your child is beautiful." I say to Zaltana and smile to her.

"Your child is going to be beautiful as well, Kaniehti:io. If not beautiful, the baby will be handsome. Like Connor." We both laugh.

"Come here, Etania!" Eyota calls for Zitkala's child. A skinny child with short black hair hops off her mother's lap and onto mine.

I let out a small cry of pain. My hand instantly finds my stomach. I feel as if a knife has stabbed me. The sharp pain starts to travel down from my stomach to my lower abdomen.

"Kaniehti:io!" Zitkala calls my name in worry. When I look back up, Zitkala is by my side and gently grabs my shoulder.

"It's the baby." I manage to breathe out. Another pained scream manages to escape my mouth. I feel sweat starting to bead on my forehead. I feel the pulse of pain again. "It wants to come out."

"Zitkala, go get Haytham." I could see Zaltana also stand up behind Zitkala. "I'll help Kaniehti:io to the medical hut."

**Connor**

I follow Kanen'to':kon as he darts through the forest. I hear the crash of feet as a few friends follow us. The trees surround us. Birds chirp. The relaxing spring breeze sings around us. I watch as a deer wakes up from our noise and runs away in fear. Something about the forest has always been so magical. Kanen'to':kon stops as we reach a large rock, where we usually play.

"What will we play?" I ask.

"Hide and seek?" Kanen'to':kon suggests. He then picks up a group of sticks. Our friends circle around him as he orders, "Draw."

Everyone grabs one stick. The unlucky person who retrieves the shortest stick will be forced to be the seeker. Unfortunately for me, I somehow manage to choose the shortest of the five.

"You're it!" Kanen'to':kon laughs as the other friends run away to find good hiding spots.

"One…Two…Three." I lean against a tree and cover my eyes with my arm as I count.

**Will Charles Lee find Connor?**

**What is going to be Ziio's baby?**

**What is going to be Haytham's reaction?**

**Oh sheit, the events are all lining up, and so is the TENSION! AHH so excited to write the next chapter! It was so much fun writing this chapter. I believe this was my favorite chapter to write because of all of the happiness! :D Also, to end the confusion, this fanfiction will be split into three parts (kind of like the books in The Hunger Games series, for example.) This is part two! :)**

**CONTEST: Okay! So I'd like to take a moment to say thank you so much for everything :) Yesterday marked the birthday of Reunited (one month, yay)! To celebrate, I decided to start a contest. The prize is a surprise, of course. The first person to PM me the name of Ezio's father will win! So go go go!**

**QUALIFICATIONS: You must follow the story. (I will check.)**


	10. I Have Failed You

**Reunited**

**Chapter Ten**

**I Have Failed You**

**Connor**

"Wow, you're really good at this!" Kanen'to';kon exclaims as I find him hiding in a bale of leaves. The rest of the children I found trail behind me and watch as Kanen'to';kon retreats from his hiding place. He then picks up a bundle of sticks and holds it up for us all to see. "Let's play again!"

We all stand in a circle as we choose a stick from Kenen'to';kon's hand. I curiously tilt my hand to see what stick I got. The stick appears to be as long as my palm. I look around at everyone else's sticks. Kanen'to';kon frowns as he finds himself holding the shortest stick.

"Your turn!" I smile, thankful I'm not the unlucky one this time. Kanen'to';kon pouts as he walks to the nearest tree and hides his eyes with his arm.

"One, two, three, four…" Kanen'to';kon begins to count for us. That's my cue to start running away to find someplace to hide. The other kids have already dispersed. I'm guessing they've already taken all the good hiding places. I groan. _Just my luck_. I decide to run as far away as I can get from Kanen'to';kon before he even reaches "fourteen". While I was finding the other kids, I found some good hiding places me. As I find the perfect place to hide, I jump into a green leafy pile. _Nobody will ever find me._

**Haytham**

I sigh. _Oh, how kids grow up so fast. I remember when I first arrived here. Connor was only up to his mother's knees. He was such an adorable child. Now, Connor is on his way to being a warrior._ I frown as I look at the makeshift training dummy Connor made for himself while I was gone. It is similar to a scarecrow, but its stomach is fatter, filled with seeds. Connor seemed to have drawn a smiling face with red dye on the head. Two red dots mark the eyes with a long upwards C for a smile. I laugh to myself as I imagine Connor whacking the dummy.

I look down and realize my hand is on my sword. I never notice it. Maybe it's just from my instinct. While growing up as a child, my father taught me many things, but he failed to put me on his path. I chose a path of my own.

I slowly breathe out as I unsheathe my sword. The familiar sound echoes through my ears as I bring the sword to my face. I point the sword straight to the skies as it lies an inch away from my nose. I then practice fencing with the dummy. On accident, I stab the dummy in the stomach with all my force. The dummy's insides pour out as I split the bag open. I stand frozen with my sword still implanted in the dummy. _Goodness, Connie is going to kill me._ I sheathe my sword again and bend down as I try to fix the dummy. No such luck seems to appear as the bag splits open even more.

"Haytham!" A woman yells. I instantly stand up and look behind me. Zitkala, Ziio's friend, puts her hands on her knees and breathes heavily as if she's ran a mile. Her long hair sticks up in places, and some is even stuck to her head from sweat.

"What is the matter?" I quickly go to her.

"Kaniehti;io's contractions have started." She looks back up to me. "The baby is on its way."

I could feel my eyes bulging out and my mouth forming a solid O. I feel as if my stomach has been doing somersaults. _Our baby is going to come today. Our child is on its way to us._

"Are you sure? Is Ziio alright? God, is she okay? Is she dying? How is the baby? How long has it been?" The questions start to pour out of my mouth.

"It's okay, Haytham. You have nothing to worry about", she smiles to me and stands up straight. "Kaniehti;io is doing fine. The pain will last for about half a day before the child is delivered. Kaniehti;io did fine with the delivery of Ratonhnhake;ton anyways."

I feel my stomach flip over again. My concern is replaced with sadness. _I wasn't there for Connor's birth. I was long gone._

"Please, take me to her right away." I plead to Zitkala. She nods and starts to walk towards the medical hut.

**Ziio**

"Really, I see nothing to worry about. There is nothing unusual here. The baby isn't coming anytime soon. You're really experiencing minor pain." The village's healer smiles to me. Her wrinkled old face and grey hair should give me comfort, but all I feel is anger.

"Read my lips!" I yell to her. The pain continues to get worse as it digs lower in my abdomen. "I am ready to give birth. The baby is coming. Have you ever delivered a baby before? I have. The contractions have started."

I then let out a curse as the pain digs in deeper.

"No wonder the Goddess is cursing you with so much pain! You have that wretched mouth of yours." The old lady frowns and crosses her arms. "But fine, if you say so. I shall go now to fetch you warm water and the appropriate herbs."

As the medic leaves the tent, I relax my head and put it back down on the mat. I lay on the floor with my arms on top of my protruding belly. The pain seems to be getting less severe now. The first shock has ended. I now have maybe an hour before the next shot of pain. I breathe in and out to calm myself. I look back up as I hear distressed footsteps outside from the tent.

"Who's there?" I call out. Zitkala walks back in with Haytham trailing behind her. In all of the years I've known Haytham, I've never seen him like this. His hands are shaking, his knees are buckling, and his hand stays on his sword, maybe for reassurance or to comfort himself.

"Oh, Ziio." Haytham rushes to the end of the hut and kneels next to me. "Are you okay? How are you doing? Is the baby out yet? Oh dear, you look like you're in so much pain. Are you going to be alright?"

"Hush, Haytham." I put a finger to his lips to shut up his questions. "I know you worry for me, but I'm okay. It won't be a while before our child actually arrives. Besides, the pain has subsided for now."

"Are you sure?" Haytham asks again. Before any more of his worry could pour out, I start to laugh. "What's so funny, Ziio? This is serious!"

"No, it's just you've always been the intimidating, scary, and serious man that you'd never want to mess with. Yet now you're so worrisome and stressed. This is why women handle childbirth, and not men." I laugh. I also hear Zitkala and Zaltana giggle behind me.

Haytham looks up behind me to Zitkala and Zaltana, embarrassed. They instantly stop laughing at him. I smile to him to reassure him. He places his hand gently on top of mine. His warm hand feels comforting as they warm up my icy cold hands. I then knit my eyebrows and crane my neck to look behind Haytham.

"Where is Connor?" I ask him. Haytham looks behind him as if expecting Connor to be sitting there as well.

"Oh, I sent him out with his friends. They play in the forest. Don't worry; it's safe for our little Connie. Shosheowa and Bagwunagijik are still out there hunting." He tells me.

"No." Zaltana enters our conversation. "They returned just now, but the boys haven't."

"Please, Haytham. Go get Connor." I grip Haytham's hand tighter in worry.

"Don't worry about him. He can easily handle himself in the forest."

"It's not just that." I decide to lie. "It would be a shame if he misses his younger sibling's birthday."

Haytham raises an eyebrow as if questioning me. He then sighs and gives in.

"If you wish." He gets up ready to exit the hut, but then looks back to me. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I am fine, Haytham." I smile. He nods and steps out of the hut. "I love you."

**Connor**

I smile to myself and peek out of my hiding place. The skies are clear, and I hear nothing but the lone whistle of the summer breeze. The trees surrounding me cast shadows as they dance along with the rhythm of the wind. None of my friends are cunning enough to find me. I will prevail and win this game. As I continue to watch secretively, I feel somebody pulling the collar of my shirt violently, ripping me out of my bale of leaves. I tumble from my hiding place and fall face-first on the dirt. Pain stabs me from where I fell and grows more terrible at my ribs.

"What have we here?" I look up to see a man holding me at gunpoint with a musket. He has his brown hair in a ponytail and wears a green coat.

**_RUN_**_. _My instincts urge me. **_ENEMY._** I ignore the man, get up from the ground, and start to run away as fast as I can. I don't get far. Another man points out his toe and trips me. As I fall to the ground, I let out a small yelp of pain as I fall on my ribs again. **_GET UP AND RUN!_** My head is shouting to me. But I can't. My hand clutches my ribs as I lie still on the floor. I listen as a man tosses away his gun and slowly walks over to me. He grabs me by my shoulder and flips me over so I could face him.

"You look… familiar…" The man studies me. He has white skin, a black beard, black scruffy hair pulled into a ponytail, and icy blue eyes that could haunt even a grown man. He leans down closer to me. "Where have I seen you before?"

_Be brave._ I don't answer. I spit in his face twice. He cringes as if my saliva was poison and tries to wipe it away vigorously. I could hear the other three men snickering at the man I spit on.

"That wasn't very nice." His evil voice echoes through my ears as if he's a bear ready to take his kill. He's had enough with me. His arm darts down and picks up mine and drags me across the dirt.

"Let me go!" I scream.

"Listen to that, he knows English." Another man laughs. He wears a blue coat. His voice sounds like he's been drinking too much lately.

"Smart for a savage." The third man adds.

"Spirited, too." The man with the blue coat laughs again as the man that drags me picks me up and pushes me to a tree trunk.

"We have… questions for your elders." The man leans closer to me as if I couldn't hear him already. I refuse to look into his eyes. "Only tell us where your village is, boy, and you can go."

"Best do as he asks, child…" Another man steps from behind him. I don't answer. I can't anyways. The man holds me up by my throat. I could feel as the air depletes from my body.

"I could snap your neck, you know." The man talks again. "A little more pressure; and POP! The sad little flame of your life extinguished."

**Haytham**

I sigh as I exit the village walls. _Where could Connie be anyways? He could be anywhere in this vast forest._ No matter. I shall do what she asks of me. I look at my surroundings as I follow the trail. _Connie couldn't have ventured that far_. _I am going to be a father of two children now. Connie will be a big brother. Ziio is going to be a mother of two. This is the day I have been waiting for. _I notice my feet walking faster as I get more anxious. _If only my father could see me. Or anyone, really. I am a traitor. I am a self-made lone wolf. I betrayed the Templar Order. I betrayed my father's Brotherhood. I don't belong anywhere. The only people I have left now is my family. _I look up to see Shosheowa darting past me.

"What's wrong?" I ask him before he's out of hearing distance.

"Emergency! I must tell the Clan Mother!" Shosheowa shakes his head and continues to run.

"Wait!" I yell to him and chase him until I could grab his shoulders. "Tell me. What happened?"

"Men. Strange men." Shosheowa looks even more dazed and stressed than the day we fought for Ziio's hand. He then looks at me with disgust. "**_Your_** men."

"What do you mean?" I shake Shosheowa's shoulders frantically**. **

** "**White men invaded our forest. They bear weapons. I must tell Clan Mother." He pushes aside my hands and runs back to the village. I stay frozen in place. _Strange men… My men… No it couldn't be._

I shake my head and run to the heart of the forest.

"Connor!" I scream out.

**Ziio**

"What's happening? Let me go!" I scream and thrash my arms as some men from the village pick me up.

"Evacuation. You must leave now, Lady Kaniehti;io." One man tells me as he puts me on a horse.

"No. That's wrong that has to be wrong." I shake my head and clutch my belly. "The baby is coming. I can't travel. And on what charges do we have to evacuate?"

"Intruders threaten us." The other man tells me as he readies my horse. "Strange men have been spotted." I shake my head again. _There's no such thing. There hasn't been any "strange men" ever since… _

"No, let me down." I say and look the man in the eyes. _This is impossible. This couldn't be happening. Not after the peace. They left Haytham alone for three years. Why now?_

"We can't do that, Kaniehti;io. Personal orders from the Clan Mother to evacuate you first and to escort you."

"I said, LET ME DOWN!" I scream at him. They both look at me. "If you don't let me down, I will let go of this horse myself and fall. Maybe I'll even fall to my death."

"You wouldn't." The other man challenges me. I raise an eyebrow and take one hand off of the horse. As I take off the other hand, I feel my insides tipping over inside of me. I want to barf. Instead, the two men catch me before I could hit the ground. "No, no!"

"I have a husband! He is out in that forest finding our son! Take me away from the village if you must, but I am NOT leaving until they return!" I cross my arms. "You can try all you want. Nothing will work."

The two men look at each other as if having a silent conversation. I feel another pang hit my stomach. I shout out in pain as I start to crumple to the floor. I don't know who catches me, but one of the men does. I clutch my stomach again. The second jolt of pain has started.

"Get her back in the hut!" The man orders the other.

**Connor**

"You are nothing but a speck of dust. You- and all your ilk. Living in the dirt like animals, oblivious to the true ways of the world." The man's grip tightens on my neck. "The wiser among you recognize the shape of the future. They throw themselves at our feet and beg mercy. But not you it seems… No… You cling desperately to your ways. Too ignorant to know your folly. But I am not unkind."

The man now releases me. I fall to the ground again, on top of my ribs. I gasp for air and try to fill my lungs. The three men now circle me like sharks and poke me with their muskets ready to fire.

"And so I spare you, that you may carry word to your people. Let them know the sooner we get what we seek, the sooner you can return to your pathetic, empty lives. A fair trade, is it not?" The man that strangled me turns back to me and smiles.

"What… is your… name?" I manage to breathe out.

"Charles Lee." Charles Lee's smile grows wider as if this is the most amusing thing he's even seen. "Why do you ask?"

"So I can find you." I don't hesitate. I am not a coward. The words leave my mouth more confidently than I expected.

"I look forward to it." The man laughs. The other men join him. He then throws up his arms as if ready for a challenge. He then walks away with nothing more and waves away his friends. I lie back down as I watch my attackers laugh as they walk away. As if I put on a good show. I'm pathetic. I was able to do nothing. Maybe he's right. Maybe I am a speck of dust. I look up as a gunshot echoes through the forest. Birds chirp as they fly away in horror. I watch as the man wearing the blue coat clutch his neck and fall to the dirt as blood pours between his fingers.

The other men instantly draw their swords and search frantically around for the killer. Charles Lee stays calm. He bends down to examine the dead body. He then looks up as if looking for the place of the shooter.

"There is only one man I know with enough skill to shoot from that distance and hit his target perfectly." Charles Lee shouts out to the forest. Nobody answers. Instead, another gunshot rings through my ears as I watch the man wearing the green coat fall to his death. He also appears to have been shot in the neck. Charles Lee still doesn't look worried. He instead looks to the other body and examines it as well. "So it is true."

Nobody answers again. The third man falls to his death. But there wasn't a gunshot. I hear the man scream out in pain as he is pushed forward and falls to the ground. Blood pours out of his stomach. I feel like I'm going to barf as I see the attacker. _My father_.

"Oh, so it is you!" Charles Lee smiles and pats my father's shoulder as if they're old friends. "It's been a while. So, what do you say, Haytham? Rejoin our cause? Although I'm afraid the spot for Grandmaster is already taken, with the death of Hickey and all these other men, I'm sure we'll find another spot for you."

I want to scream out for my father. Maybe tell him to run away. Or maybe even ask what he's doing here. But my instincts urge me not to. As soon as my father sees me lying on the ground clutching my ribs, he seems to have been cut loose. He doesn't hesitate to grab Charles Lee's shoulders and push him against the trees.

"What are you doing here, Charles?" My father shouts to Charles Lee's face. _How in the world could my father know a man like Charles Lee?_

"Now now, no need to get violent." Charles Lee smiles and puts his hands up. "We came here to retrieve what you never did."

"Didn't I tell you three years ago to leave me alone? I'm finished." My father lets one hand go from Charles Lee. He then puts up his wrist to Charles Lee's neck. A shiny silver blade protrudes from his wrist, pressing against Charles Lee's neck. _The same blade that killed the man with the green coat_.

"A life for a life, isn't that right Haytham? What I remember is sparing your life three years ago." Charles Lee sneers to my father's face. My father growls as  
he reluctantly releases his grip on Charles Lee.

"Leave now, and never come back." My father warns Charles Lee.

"I'm afraid that won't happen, Haytham." Charles Lee says as he runs away from my father. "We will come back. We will get what we want."

"With what army? I killed all of your men here."

"Oh now now, Haytham. You really think we didn't expand our Cause ever since you left us? The Order has been better off without you. It has thrived more than it ever has." Before he could say anything else, his words are cut off from hearing distance. I try to squint, but I only see his figure running further and further away.

My father spits on the floor and curses as he watches Charles Lee flee. He then looks back to me. His face shifts from anger to utmost worry. He rushes to me and kneels next to me.

"Where are you hurt, my son?" My father asks me. I point to my ribs. When he tries to touch it, I cringe in pain. He then lifts me up on his back. "Let me carry you back to the village."

"What was that?" I ask him. He doesn't answer. He just continues to walk.

"I am sorry." He finally tells me.

"For what? None of this is your fault."

"My son, I am sorry. I have failed you." He shakes his head and refuses to talk any more.

**When is Charles Lee returning?**

**Why is the village evacuating?**

**What did Shosheowa exactly see?**

**What does Connor now think of his father?**

**How is Ziio going to survive evacuation while in labor?**

**Ooohhh how it must hurt not to know these answers ;) haha anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for the delay in publishing this! My life has been so busy lately, I just couldn't find the time! I hope it isn't that bad, though. **

**CONTEST: Thank you to everyone who has applied for the contest! I honestly didn't think anyone would… But the winners are going to be announced next week in the next chapter. Even though I already chose them, I might as well just announce it in the next chapter when you know.. Yeah it's a surprise…. But seriously thank YOU. I wish I could give everyone prizes I really do… Here's a hug. *hugs you***

**SOUNDTRACK: Okay I personally don't ever check out a soundtrack that the author leaves for whenever I read a book. But seriously, this is the shiz. While listening to these songs and reading the chapter, you can really picture it like a movie in your head. **

**1. Assassin's Creed 3 OST- Homestead**

**2. Assassin's Creed 3 OST- Connor's Life**

**3. Scheduled For Deletion Extended**

**4. Assassin's creed Revelations OST- Labored and Lost**

**Seriously, CHECK DEM OUT.**

**Anyways, thank you again! I really hope this wasn't too late of a chapter update! Please forgive me!**


	11. Last Goodbyes

**Reunited**

**Chapter 11**

**Last Goodbyes**

**Ziio**

"Please, make yourself useful and go get her some hot water!" The village's medic shouts orders to the warriors sent to "protect" me. I hold in the pain as the second contraction starts to dim down.

"You are doing well, Kaniehti;io." She tells me.

"How long do I have until the baby starts to come?" I ask, exhausted.

"Not too long, young one." She says in a worried tone. "I fear that with your stubbornness of waiting to evacuate, you **and** your child will die here."

"No." I quickly say. I look up to her with determination. "That is never going to happen."

"As you say, Kaniehti;io." She frowns and exits the hut. I put my head back down and rub my belly.

"Please." I coo to my belly, "Wait for your father. Everything will be okay."

**Connor**

As we arrive inside the village walls, I see villagers frantically running everywhere gathering their belongings. Horses are held by the walls, as if ready to leave at any second.

"My boy, go to your mother." My father tells me as he lets me off his back. "She's inside the medical hut. I need to go talk to the Clan Mother."

"Why?" I ask him.

"Because I said so." He gives me one final look then turns away towards the Clan Mother's hut. His eyes don't look angry, but rather pained. As if he's prepared to do something he wouldn't if he had the choice. As if the worst is about to come. Maybe it is.

"Ista!" I shout as I see my mother lying on the floor of the medical hut. She looks normal. She's wearing clothes. Her hair is braided, but sweat forms on her face. "What is wrong?"

"The child is ready." She says as if she's out of energy and stressed. But she looks at me with loving eyes. "Everything is going to be okay."

Not it's not. Before father came, mother has always been good at hiding her emotions. Nobody could tell when she's sad, or the rare moments when she's happy. _Everything is **not** going to be okay_.

**Haytham**

"What in the hell are you thinking?" I shout to the Clan Mother. The soldiers stationed next to her start to tense, but she tells them to stand down. "Your men, no matter how strong they are, stand no chance against Lee's. Who even knows how powerful his army is now? You must evacuate everyone, even the warriors. They can't stay. You'll just lose all your men."

"Well what else can we do?" The Clan Mother argues, "If I don't order my men to stay, our village will burn down."

"Your village is damned no matter what." I circle the room trying to think of strategies. Then something hits me. I look at my own hands, then back to the Clan Mother. "I'll stay. I'm the only one who can stop them."

"We can't send one man against an entire army!" The Clan Mother shouts.

"No." I shake my head. "You have to. I'm the only one who understands Lee. Maybe even talk him into reason. I'll do anything if I have to. Maybe even give my own life, or damn my soul to the depths of hell. As long as my family is safe. Can you guarantee that?" The Clan Mother looks down to the floor in silence. "**Can you guarantee that?**"

"Yes, Haytham." The Clan Mother looks back up to me. I see a tear start to roll down her cheek and leave a trail. "I can guarantee you that Kaniehti;io, your newborn child, and Ratonhnhake;ton will be safe. No harm will come to them."

"Okay." I say as I turn around to exit the tent. But I pause with my hand on the tent's flap. "Do not cry for me…"

**Ziio**

I look back up to see Haytham enter the hut. He doesn't look worried or happy or with any emotions. _He's hiding something_.

"Connor, go and make sure Zitkala and Zaltana and their families are okay." I tell him. As he leaves the room, Haytham still says nothing.

"What is wrong, Haytham?" I ask with concern.

"I am staying." He looks into my eyes. He doesn't look depressed, but rather like he's doing his duty.

"What do you mean?"

"Charles Lee is bringing the rest of his men to attack the village. Everyone is going to evacuate, including you and Connor. Don't worry, the Clan Mother put her finest warriors to protect you. Everything will go smoothly. I will stay and wait for Lee's men to come. I will take the weaklings out from behind, and slowly work my way up to Lee. Should he notice me, I will try to reason with him. If not, then so be it. I will stop them. If not, at least I will serve as a distraction until they find you." He looks like the day I met him. The man who was still a Templar. The man with the devious plans and heart of steel. The man I feel in love with, but the man I also wish was never a part of him.

"Don't be a hero." I can feel a tear start to trickle down my face as I caress Haytham's cheek. "You've done enough for us. Come, evacuate with us. Watch your child's birth. Name him. Raise Connor and our newborn. Raise them with me. Stay with me. You've already done everything you can. Please, don't go."

"I am sorry, Ziio. This is my duty. This is the last task I must do." Haytham puts his hand on top of mine and looks into my eyes. "The Clan Mother has ensured your safety."

"I don't care about my safety if you're not safe as well. Please, Haytham." I plead. I feel more tears start to come down. He slowly shakes his head as he looks down to the floor. _Then it must be done._ I sniff and immediately stop crying. I lift my hand from Haytham's cheek to wipe away the tear. I don't want his last memory of his wife to be her crying.

"Here, keep this as memory of me." He takes off his hat and places it on my head. "Maybe give it to Connor. No, give my sword to Connor so he will at least have one proper weapon of growing up."

"No." I shake my head and hand him back his sword. "Take it. You'll need your sword to survive so you shall return to us. Give it to Connor yourself when the time comes."

He nods, not willing to argue with me and sheathes his sword again. We then stay in silence, embracing each other.

"If I don't come back, don't let Connor remember me. Speak nothing of me from now on. Or if you must, tell him that I betrayed you again. If he learns the truth, he will come seeking revenge. Connor is young. He can easily be tainted whatever color you hand him. Convince him that I was the villain, and that I hated him so much that I couldn't stand to spend another second with him. He shall never know the truth. He will hate me, and never want to look further into it."

"No. I can't do that. Connor shall remember you as you are. You're already embedded too deep into his heart now that there's no way out. I swore that day when we married, that I would stay with you forever. Which I shall. I am your wife. Remember me. No matter what happens tonight, I am always with you. Connor loves you. I love you. I will always love you." We hold each other tighter as we try to elongate our last moments together.

"I remember when I fell in love with you. It definitely wasn't love at first sight." Haytham lets out a chuckle. "You made me chase you around that forest with the damn snow. I fell in love that night after I fought those blokes at the bar. You stopped the bleeding on my cheek. When I looked into your eyes, something different clicked in me. Something never before. Maybe it was the first love I've ever experienced. I've never trusted my father. We've never had the same beliefs. I couldn't love the man who wanted to steer me on a different path. But now I understand. I see everything now."

**Connor**

By the time I return to the medical hut, I see mother and father exiting together, holding hands. Their faces are both solemn, yet determined. My father's tipped hat is on my mother's head, which is strange since I could never find my father without his hat. When they see me flitter across running, they instantly try to put on a fake smile for me.

"Connor, there you are!" My mother calls for me as she mounts onto a horse. "Come here with your mother."

"Where are we going?" I ask as I stand in front of her horse next to my father. Two of our village's warriors hold my mother's horse's reigns for her while she talks to me.

"We're going on a short trip. Remember our friend, Achilles? We're visiting him." She tells me as she pulls me up so I'm mounted on the horse with her.

"I thought my brother was coming." I mumble. "And what about father?" My mother and father exchange a look, until my father decides to answer.

"I'm afraid I have some business to attend to, my son." My father steps closer to the horse to hold my hand. "Protect your mother. And the child. Protect our family, Connor."

"Of course." I say.

"Grow old. Have children of your own. Be a man with courage, bravery, strength, honor, all noble traits." My father then looks to my mother. She nods. My father then looks back to me. "Now go."

"Wait, but father!" I shout. My father smacks our horse's butt, sending her racing across the forest. "Father!"

"Look straight ahead, my son." My mother tells me as I focus on steering the horse. I can feel her tears against the wind. The warriors each have a different horse and ride in front and behind us, leading the way. "Focus on the path ahead."

**Aww I almost wanted to cry while writing this chapter! :'(**

**SIDE NOTE: Oh lawd, my friend finally loaned me his ac3 game! After months of waiting, I'm FINALLY going to play ac3 foreals now! :D**

**UPDATE: There will NOT be a chapter next week due to my vacation. Sorry for the complications! D:**

**ALSO…: sorry if this chapter is really short! I just wanted to publish it real quick before my plane leaves. So goodbye! Have a wonderful spring break everyone! :D**

**~Jenny**


	12. Old Friends

**Reunited**

**Chapter Twelve**

**Old Friends**

**Haytham**

I watch as the sandy brown horse gallops further and further away from me. My son repeatedly yells my name and tries to turn around the horse, but his mother holds him tight and tries to calm him. The two other horses close in closer to my son and wife. With a warrior on each horse, one rides in front of them to guide my family, while the other rides behind them, should someone ambush the party. I stand still, watching my family leave me until they look like nothing from a speck of dust on the horizon.

When they are gone, I sigh and turn around. The village is empty, with nothing but the humid summer air for company. The longhouses are empty, the fires are put out, there aren't any children running around, women singing while they weave clothes for their own children, or men trading stories of their hunting trips. I walk around the village slowly, trying to mark every aspect of the village into my memory.

It seems that through my years of living with Ziio, Connor, and the rest of the tribe, I have grown quite used to the life here. Every single moment I've spent at the village, I've grown closer to Ziio. I never thought such love was possible, especially love including myself. Connor and I also spent more time together, while I would try strengthening our father and son relationship training him each and every day. When Ziio announced to me of her pregnancy, I've never been happier. I specifically remember lifting her off her feet and embracing her. Those years were the happiest years of my life.

The choice to stay and die for my family wasn't a hard one. I wish I could say I've never considered how I would die, but that would be a lie. When I was growing up and only a young child, I thought I would die for the Creed. I thought I would die for the Brotherhood that my own father thrust me into. Little did I know that soon later, I would be converted into a Templar, the exact enemy of my father. I was as gullible as Connor is now. I was easily tainted whatever color. With Reginald Birch convincing me to join the Order, how could I refuse? Those years of my life, I was determined to die for the Order. No other way to die would've sufficed.

After I was appointed as Grandmaster of the Colonial Order, I thought that I never could've been happier. It was everything I yearned for. Now, all I needed was to complete the wishes and goals of the Order. I was forced to follow and chase a mysterious Mohawk woman, whom I later called her Ziio. I would never forget what a nuisance it was to chase her in the bloody snow and have wolves attack my own flesh while still trying to follow her trail. I chuckle to myself as I remember the first time we officially met. But later, she proved that somehow, she is the one. Against all odds, who would've thought that I would fall in love with a Native American woman and bear a child with her?

After the night in the cave, I remember staying close to her for a while. I didn't return to Boston for a week. I've never experienced love before. Sure, women back in England fancied me, but that doesn't mean that I fancied them. Something told me that she was also new to the "falling in love" concept. No matter, we both enjoyed the journey quite fondly. But that was until she learned of my true intentions as to why I met her.

"Why, Haytham? Why do you cling to your ways? I bear a child. Are you aware? I love you. But you have a choice. You can either stay here to raise our child and live with me… Or you can stay with your Order. For I cannot love a man whose beliefs are so twisted." I remember her screaming at me.

"Ziio, please." I remember trying to calm her down. I raised my hands in the air as if surrendering to her, but she just shook her head.

"Decide, Haytham. Your choice is now." She backed away from me and looked me straight in the eye.

"I…"I paused, trying to decide my fate. Should I choose love or my beliefs? I finally whispered, "I'm sorry, Ziio."

"Please, leave me!" She now turned her back to me. I would never know if she wanted to hide her tears or anger from me. "Go to Boston, and never return."

I sigh again. Enough of the past, I must focus on the present if I wish for my family to be in the future. I try to search the village to see whatever weapons they left behind. Sure enough, the village has a specific hut just for weapons. It appears that they've been prepared for an event like this to happen. Inside, it is heavily stocked with spears, gunpowder, daggers, hatchets, knives, and other simple weapons. Nevertheless, they should prove useful. I stock myself up with whatever suits me best, and exit the hut.

**Ziio**

"Please wait, Kaniehti;io. We only have a little while longer until we reach the Davenport Mansion." One of our guards tells me. I could already feel my arms getting weak from around Connor's waist. The familiar pang of childbirth hits me right into my lower abdomen once again.

"Do you think I can control when this child wants to come? I can't…" I start to scream out in pain, which seemed to frighten Connor. He jerks his hands from the reign, causing the horse to do a little jump, sending me airborne. I could hear Connor shout, but one of the guards catches me before I fall.

"Are you alright, Kaniehti;io?" He asks me. I look up to see the other guard helping Connor calm down and settle down his horse.

"The child is coming… Now." I try to add extra urgency in my voice, but the man doesn't seem to comprehend. "I am going to give birth right **here**."

"No, please, Kaniehti;io! We are already in the Davenport Homestead! We could make it into the mansion. Just try your best to travel a bit more." He helps me back up and supports my weight as he walks me back to Connor's horse.

"No… I cannot get on that horse." I gasp in pain. "I will try my best to walk to the mansion."

"I am sorry, Kaniehti:io." The other guard mutters.

"Ista, are you alright?" Connor asks me. His face looks worried and scared at the same time.

"I am alright." I try to smile to assure Connor as we keep walking towards the mansion. "It is just that your younger sibling is a stubborn one. He won't take no for an answer. Surely, he got that trait from his father and I. I am sure you got it as well. I'm positive it runs in the Kenway family."

Both of the guards laugh a little, but when I give them the death stare, they both shut up quickly. I then turn my head up and watch as the sun sets, leaving the original light blue sky turn shades of pink, lavender, navy blue, then finally the night sky. Stars start to dot the skies next to the moon. The feel reminds me of the night when Haytham and I were married. _Haytham… Please, return safely to me._

**Haytham**

I lurk in the trees and watch the village carefully. Knowing Charles, he'd want to attack in the night time. He'd probably send scouts out, most likely the newest additions to the Order, to infiltrate the village themselves. If there isn't any danger, they'd simply return to the group. If there is danger, then they simply would serve as a meat shield as the real Order infiltrates. Or, they will die and then Charles would know if the scouts won't return. Either way, it is a losing situation for me. If I let the scout go, Charles will know everything about the battlefield. But if I kill the scout now, Charles will eventually know and come here fully armed and prepared for the enemy. I might as well prolong my death and kill the scout as soon as he shows himself.

I climb and pull myself higher and higher up into the trees, trying to get a bird's eye view of the village. With my years of living with Ziio and Connor, they both taught me gradually how to tree climb. I never knew it would come in handy.

After what seems like an entire lifetime, I see movement under me. Someone seems to sneak into the clearing and simply walk into the village. This should be easy enough. They're foolish enough to walk into the village abruptly. I climb down from the tree branch and safely land on the ground. I then hide behind the village wall, listening to the intruder's footsteps.

While slowly readying my hidden blade, I take a deep breath. _This is it. The first blood of the night shall be spilled._ While doing a silent battle cry, I leap from hiding and restrain the intruder, with my wrist ready to slit the man's throat, should I slightly move it.

"My lord, Haytham, calm down." The old man's voice breathes out.

"Achilles?" I ask, hastily turning the man around. Sure enough, it's him. He's grown older ever since the last I've seen him. He now uses a cane to support his back as he walks. How did I not notice the bloody cane? His dark skin is now slightly wrinkled as he does the smallest smile to greet me.

"You better believe it, boy." Achilles puts both hands on his cane now. This may just be the sassiest old man I've ever met.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. "Are you crazy? Ziio and the rest of the village is going to **your **mansion for refugee! My wife is going to give birth! Who is going to protect them now? The Templars are going to attack the village at any moment now. How crazy are you, old man?"

"Haytham, be quiet." Achilles closes his eyes as if my questions are annoying him. "_Of course_ I know about all of those problems. One of the Colonial Assassins was just tracking Charles Lee. Whenhe saw that Charles Lee was going to your village, he sent word at once back to me. I was just getting ready to organize a small party to the village for reinforcements, but that party saw the villagers on the way here. The villagers told them about how every single person left, besides one man. **You**. Really, I think _you_ are the crazy one. Now, I had to take all of the Assassins with me to protect the village. But don't worry, I still left a small group at the mansion to protect the villagers and help Ziio through her labor."

"Achilles… I…" I pause, unsure what to say. Of course I'm grateful, but a simple 'thank you' wouldn't suffice for such a deed. He sent the entire Colonial Assassins group to my help, granted a few still at the mansion. I might just be able to see my family again. Connor, my son. Ziio, my wife. Even the newborn child.

"It's okay, son." Achilles pats my shoulder, and then turns around so he's facing the wall. He then announces for the entire world to hear, "Come on in, my Brothers! We've got a village to protect."

Before I could yell at the old man to shut up, he's giving away our position, about a dozen assassins start to spill in from the village walls. Two jump down from the trees and land in front of us. One even walks out of the house and waves to Achilles.

"How did you…" I start to ask the man, but Achilles touches my shoulder again. The entire Colonial Brotherhood now stands before us. A couple years ago, I would've instantly gotten out my sword and started my attempt to slaughter each and every one of them. Even though I'm technically no longer a Templar, I still suspected bitterness from them. But still, none showed. Instead, we all stand together with one common goal.

"My brothers and sisters, the Templars have threatened our own friends. They have threatened families. They have threatened children." Achilles starts to give a speech to all of the Assassins. He doesn't speak like a man preparing for war, but rather like conversing to old friends. He speaks slowly and calmly, but it seems to soothe you and motivate you at the same time. "Tonight, they plan to strike at the heart of the village. Maybe they still believe that this village still contains fragments of the First Civilization, or maybe they have their own personal grudge. Our Creed extends to even our furthest friends. While the Templars are out there in the night, laughing while planning our 'deaths', let's show them what it means to cross the Assassins."

**Will Ziio FINALLY give birth? :D**

**What will Ziio's baby be?**

**How will the dreaded battle turn out to be now that the Assassins joined the fight?**

**What is their fate?**

**:O**

**Sooooo I'm sorry that this came out later than expected and it's pretty short. I like to think that it's short and sweet. This is where I had to end it. At least it's a happy ending! (In a way.) So I am back from vacation and back in school T-T yup. Fun life. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I enjoyed writing this, as I like writing things with happy endings :)**

**Oh yeah! I recently (just yesterday) started a NEW fanfiction! :o It's a Pocahontas/Assassin's Creed Crossover! I was inspired by FanArt I saw floating around online of the crossover, but I haven't seen any actual FanFics on it, so I thought why not give it a go :) Go ahead and check it out if you'd like! **

**Have a happy and safe week,**

**~Jenny :)**


	13. To Die For

**Reunited**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**To Die For**

**Ziio**

I slowly blink my eyes open. Sweat beads on my forehead, and down my neck. My head is propped up by small hands, which gently hold me. I could see a woman kneeling in front of me, with her hands painted in blood.

"Well, what are you waiting for? She is giving birth!" I could hear the woman who is propping my head up shout. She then gently places my head on a pillow as she wipes my head with a towel.

"What terrible timing! Why would the baby want to emerge to the world right now?" The other midwife says as she looks to her hands tainted in blood.

"The child thinks the time is right, so we shall cooperate." The first lady then says calmly, "My name is Emeline, and your second midwife is Rebekah. Miss Kenway, you are doing fantastic. Only a little longer and your child will become. From what you've told us, we only expect one more pulse of pain and then your child will be with us."

"Where… Where is Connor?" I ask. The saying 'Miss Kenway' fazes me. "How did I get in this room? The last thing I remember is walking to the manor."

"When you arrived with the two guards, our group of Assassin Trainees took them in. You fainted from the pain, but do not worry; the baby is alright. Emeline and I have experience in this field, so we volunteered to help you. When we took you in, Connor requested to go outside. He promised he won't venture far, just in the stables. However, no need to worry. The two warriors chose to escort him and guard him. You and your son are safe." Rebekah smiles and tries to calm me. She looks quite young to be training for an Assassin. She has a petite figure like me, and she looks like the same height as mine. She, nor Emeline, wear the traditional Assassin Robes (they're just Trainees after all), but instead they wear a dress, and a cloak above it. Both of their hoods are down, revealing young faces. Rebekah's blonde hair is tied into a bun on top of her head. Her blue eyes smile to me, trying to reassure me. However, I seem to find Emeline more comforting. Her dark hazel eyes seem more familiar than the alien blue. Emeline has long light brown hair, similar to a sparrow's. It cascades down her shoulders and atop her cloak in long curls.

"So do not worry about anything right now. Before the next pang of pain arrives and your child emerges to the world, try to relax. The pain will be gone soon. Remember that." Emeline doesn't try to smile to me. Instead, her serious and determined attitude assures me all is fine.

"But what of Haytham?" I ask before I can lay my head down on the pillow.

"Haytham…" Both of the Assassin Trainees look at each other. _I almost forgot. Haytham killed their brothers in the past. _Before such worry could consume me, Emeline nods then looks back to me. "No need to worry of Haytham. The Brotherhood stand with him now."

**Haytham**

When Achilles finishes his speech, I hear cheers echo through my ears. _The Brotherhood stands by me._ As the cheers slowly die out, they quickly disperse and take position. In mere seconds, it's almost as if the Assassins weren't even here.

"This… This is unreal." I have to check next to me to make sure Achilles is still standing there.

"We stand up for each other. However, I've seen enough death and battles for a lifetime. It is high time I help life. We fight together…" Achilles nods, and then turns to me. He then places his arm to my shoulder and gives me the only smile Achilles is capable of giving. "…brother."

"Brother." I agree and place my arm on his shoulder as well. A true revelation has come… a new tide in my life. I never thought I would fight together with the Assassins. Now, they volunteer to protect my family and my beliefs. Our goals are aligned. Ever since I became a Templar, I never wanted to think of my father. I never wanted to remember how much he loved me, how much he wanted me to succeed, how much he wanted me to become an Assassin. I knew that if I remember my father, I would realize how much I have failed him.I look to the skies and watch the stars stare down at me as well. _Edward Kenway… father. Ever since your death I have failed you. If you are still here, if you are up in the heavens watching over me, please give me a sign. Have I made you proud?_ _Are you watching over me tonight?_

Without a warning, a gust of stray wind glides across the skies. I could feel my red ribbon dancing along the breeze. I use my left hand to make sure my hat stays in place.

"It appears that the heavens cheer us on as well." Achilles laughs as he looks up to the skies as well. When the wind dies down, Achilles nods and tosses me a package, carefully tied and wrapped in cloth. "Well enough of that. It is time, Haytham. Put these on."

**Connor**

"What consumes your mind, Ratonhnhake:ton?" I continue to look to the skies, but hear one of my guards, Ni:ichad, sit down next to me as the other still stands stiff as a rock with his spear in hand ready to pounce on any danger.

"My father…" I sigh, "Also my mother. Also my brother, or sister, or whoever the baby is. My mind also seems to be wrapped around one thing. A name is burnt into my brain, with the coals of my rage feeding the fire. The fire is mere curiosity, but should it continue, I fear it shall worsen."

"Your father is doing fine. Reinforcements arrived. Your mother is healthy and safe. The child hasn't arrived just yet, but the baby is almost ready." The guard speaks slowly, but his voice calms me. "Whose name burns in your mind?"

"Charles Lee." I say. It feels weird to let the words escape my mind and go into the open for once.

"Hatred and vengeance poison the heart." Ni:ichad tells me as he looks to the stars. His skin is a little darker than mine. He has dark brown eyes, almost as dark as the night sky. He has no hair, besides the middle of his head, where a ponytail protrudes from his forehead to the nape of his neck.

"But this is all because of him right? The monster known as Charles Lee? If not for Charles Lee, my father would not be out there tonight. My family will be together and safe, and happy. The villagers would not have to evacuate. You and Dekana:awind would not have to risk your lives for my family. All would be right." I could feel the hatred in my words. I never thought such rage could come from my heart. I have known a world of true peace. I have known true happiness and innocence. However all may be lost to this one man. I then look to the palm of my hands, feeling powerless.

"Ratonhnhake:ton, I sense your despair." Ni:ichad places his left hand on my shoulder like a big brother. "But the best thing you can do now is carry out your father's wish and leave your hope with him and our friends here. Watch over and protect the family."

"Thank you, Ni:ichad." I nod and stand up, inspired by Ni:ichad's words. "Ni:ichad, Dekana:awind, I wish to go inside now. I want to properly meet and thank our new friends." Ni:ichad and Dekana:awind look at each other for a moment, as if it's a bad idea, but quickly look back to me.

"As you say, Ratonhnhake:ton." Both of my guards nod and walk in front of me leading me back inside the Davenport Manor.

**Haytham**

I take position behind the walls, leaning against the entrance ready to assassinate any enemy who dares step on my ground. I look down at my gift briefly. I still wear my cape bearing the Kenway House Emblem and my tipped hat. The new Hidden Blade is different, yet alike my old one. It fits weirdly, but if I tighten the strings on the inside, then it can become more comfortable, and I might get used to it in time. The Assassin symbol lays on my forearm, and on the blade's bracer. I flick my wrist, trying to get used to my new blade. It is faster than the Templar's copy and sharper as well. If I want to, I could easily grip the blade like a knife and attack simply like that. The Templar's copy has no such improvement. Maybe, in some ways, the Templars have yet to achieve the Assassins.

I feel a familiar gust of wind. It again comforts me, and calms my nerves. No matter what happens tonight, the spirit of my father is with me. Perhaps it is a simple wind in the summer night in the forest. But I shall not accept that. I _know_ my father is with me.

I am taken out of thought when I hear footsteps nearing the village walls. I lean against the wall, breathe out lightly, and relax my muscles as I ready for the blood to be spilled. The footsteps aren't light at all, giving away its position. So Charles has sent out the amateurs as scouts. Achilles and I agreed to take out the scouts first as our plan. I am the one stationed nearest to the entrance. I should kill first, so none of the other Assassins should give away their positions. The scout's footsteps slow down, and go to a sloth's speed as it nears the village. Perhaps the scout is closely examining the surroundings and looking for any enemies.

I whistle, getting the scout's attention. Working like a charm, the scout comes closer to the sound of the whistle, like a moth to a beam of light. When the scout is close enough, I quickly come out of my hiding place and stab the Templar in the stomach. Red starts to taint the Templar's coat. The kill is swift and silent. I then take the body and place it in a sitting position, with its head down. _The first blood of the night has been spilled._

Suddenly, I look back up from the dead body and hear shouts and cries of war ring in my ears. A mob of Templars flood through the gates. I can hear Charles Lee leading the crowds, and see him in the front of the line. Apparently he chose to break the tradition of scouts. The Assassins are forced to come out of hiding and break their tradition of silent kills. I frown and flick my wrist, causing the Hidden Blade to hide back into its bracer. I exhale and unsheathe my sword. The familiar breeze guides me, and relaxes my muscles. The war between Assassins and Templars has begun.

**Ziio**

"Ziio, all is well. The baby is here." I can hear Emeline say as she wraps a child in her arms. The pain in my stomach starts to slowly subside. My breathing starts to become normal once again. Not wanting to rest my head on the pillow, I watch as Emeline examines the child. Rebekah continues to wipe my forehead, and make sure I'm comfortable. Nobody has experienced pain until they have delivered a child. The child's cries fill the room. Rebekah does a light laugh, amazed with the coming of life. Emeline laughs as well and tells me, "She is a healthy baby girl, Miss Kenway. Would you like to hold her?"

"Yes. Please." Tears start to well up in my eyes as I extend my arms. Emeline nods and places the child into my arms. The baby girl's cries are even louder than when Ratonhnhake:ton was born. The child's skin is a beautiful mixture of mine and Haytham's, but lighter than Connor's. Her eyes are the color of liquid hazelnuts. Already, she has dark caramel hair sprouting from her noggin. As she cries, her legs and arms flail, trying to grasp something. I then see a spot on her ankle, a birthmark. It resembles the symbol of the Assassins; something like an upright triangle, with a little insignia under. Tears of joy start to drop onto her, causing her wails to go higher. I laugh and breathe out, "Forgive your mother. She hasn't seen such beauty in the world. You shall be named Ku:wanlelenta. I already know your father will never be able to pronounce your name, though. To my people you will be Ku:wanlelenta. To the world, you will be Evangeline."

"Emeline, there seems to be a problem." I look back up from Ku:wanlelenta to Rebekah. She stands where Emeline was when she helped me deliver. She stares at me, with her eyes widened in fear "There is another baby."

"Twins?" Emeline stops smiling, and runs back to Rebekah. Her eyes then match Rebekah's. "Oh, I am sorry, Miss Kenway. Although the second child's birth will be much quicker. Are you ready?"

"Twins?" I repeat. I look back down to Ku:wanlelenta. Haytham and I have been gifted with two daughters. "I am ready."

I reluctantly and carefully hand over Ku:wanlelenta to Emeline, who exits the room. Rebekah then starts to give me orders to deliver the next child.

**Connor**

"She is a healthy and beautiful baby girl!" I stand up from the couch to see one of the women who was helping my mother emerge from the room, holding a bundle wrapped in a blanket in her hand. The people around me start to cheer. I run from my spot to the woman, excited to meet the child. The woman smiles when she sees me, and kneels down to show me the baby. She then unwraps the blanket, revealing a child.

"Hello, sister." I smile to her, and will my hand to go to her.

"Her name is Ku:wanlelenta, but her English name is Evangeline." The woman tells me.

"Hello, Ku:wanlelenta. You are beautiful." Ku:wanlelenta grips my finger and smiles back to me. "I've always wanted to be a big brother. Don't worry; you'll always be safe with me. I promise that much."

The woman watches and continues to smile as Ku:wanlelenta tries to hold my finger. She then hands me the child and stands back up.

"Where is my mother?" I ask as Ku:wanlelenta starts to fall asleep in my arms.

"She is still inside, Connor. She is having twins." The woman tells me. "Do not worry, all will be fine. Your mother is a natural at this. No matter what happens, I swear your mother and Evangeline's twin sister will be okay."

**Haytham**

"Where is Charles Lee?" I shout. Lines of Templars block my view. An amateur even decides to throw himself at me, but I simply hold my sword out, dispatching him Blood spills all around me. From left to right, the Templars show their struggle to push the Assassins back. I can even see Achilles sitting on a roof (God knows how he got up there), working with a bow and arrow.

"Looking for me, _Master_ Kenway?" I turn around right in time to meet my sword with Charles'. We both hold our swords with both of our hands, in a contest of strength.

"So that's where you were, Charles…. ready to stab me in the back." I snarl. He pulls away, and so do I. We then circle each other, weary of whoever will make the next move.

"Yes. And I knew I'd find you right in the center of the battlefield. Who would've known that Haytham Kenway, the Grandmaster of the Templars, would ever fight with the Assassins?" Charles laughs at that thought and throws his arms up in the air as if saying 'mind blown' for a brief second.

"I've left that name long ago." I snap back bitterly.

"Oh, I know that, Haytham. For I am the Grandmaster now." Charles Lee now points his chin up, as if he's higher in authority than me.

"Well congratulations to you, Charles. But really, why have you come here? Surely, it wasn't to get me back." I roll my eyes.

"When Ziio led you to the caves, you told us that nothing was there. We didn't believe you. Now, all we wanted was to check for ourselves. Maybe even take some hostages and interrogate them, but we mean no harm. All we want from you is that amulet of yours."

"You intended to burn down an entire village!" I yell back in disbelief. "You definitely **did** mean harm! You almost killed a child!"

"You pity the savages?" Charles Lee looks to me as if I'm crazy, and laughs. "Oh wait, I forgot. You **married** a savage, and even made her quite a scandal. I guess you love beasts."

"Should you insult Ziio again, I shall not hesitate to cut your head off myself." I try to speak calmly, but end up growling between my teeth. I clench my jaw, and grip my sword tighter, willing myself not to jump at the man right this second.

"You amaze me, Haytham." Charles Lee laughs again. "I thought you had higher standards than beasts. After all, you were the Grandmaster. You could at _least_ afford a whore. But no, you settled for a savage. A **_savage whore_**at that."

"That's it." I breathe out and lash at the man in rage. I manage to catch him by surprise, and cut his arm. He yells out in pain, and starts to block my next attack. The rest of the battlefield seems to clear their way for our fight. I lose count of how many times Charles blocks my attacks, and I block his. He seems to be skilled. He really was my student after all.

I then start to smell smoke. I look up to see a house starting to catch fire. A Templar snickers as he holds a torch, but an Assassin quickly kills him from behind. Even though the man is dead, the fire quickly continues to spread.

Charles takes advantage of the distraction, and lashes at my leg.

"An arm for a leg, isn't that right Haytham?" Charles asks. We cross swords again. The sound resembles lightning as the blades clash together. The fire spreads to the houses surrounding us, swallowing us in the fire. "It seems that we are dying together, Haytham."

"I will never die with you." I growl as we clash our swords together again.

**Ziio**

"You've done it!" Rebekah and Emeline start crying in tears of joy. Even though they weren't the ones giving birth, it's almost as if the experience has been marked in their brains. They will never forget when they helped give life. "The child is here."

"Bring her to me." I lay my head on the pillow behind me, completely exhausted. Rebekah nods, and hands over the second child. I manage to laugh, "This is the last of them, right?"

"Yes, Miss Kenway." Both Rebekah and Emeline laugh as well, and wipe their tears away with their sleeves. "It is so rare for Assassins to experience life than death."

"Cherish it. Life is a gift." I smile to them, then back to my daughter. She is beautiful, like her sister. Their features are exactly the same, nothing different; instead this child's birthmark is behind her neck. "I shall name you Nevedita, my beautiful child. However, your father may call you Elizabeth. You are Elizabeth Nevedita Kenway." I then look up to Emeline and Rebekah. "Thank you. I thank you with all my heart. You helped me bring Elizabeth and Evangeline to the world."

"Really, you don't need to thank us, Miss Kenway." Rebekah smiles and finishes wiping away her tears.

"It is a nice change of pace to bring life than death." Emeline nods and agrees with Rebekah.

"Still, I feel the need to thank you." I smile again, and then look back to my dear Nevedita. "Please bring in Connor and Evangeline. I want to be with my children."

"As you wish, Miss Kenway." Rebekah nods and exits the room, with Emeline ready to follow.

"Wait." I say before Emeline can exit, "Is there any news on Haytham?"

**Connor**

"Connor, your mother is ready." I watch as the same woman emerges from the room again, and gestures for me to follow. I nod, and slowly stand up from my seat, careful not to wake up Evangeline in my arms. I follow the woman down a hallway, and enter a wooden door. There, I see my mom sitting in a bed, talking to another woman. My mom is frowning, but when she sees Evangeline and I, she quickly smiles and tells for me to come forward.

"Connor, meet your sister. Her name is Elizabeth Nevedita Kenway." Mother smiles to me, then looks back to the newborn children.

"She is beautiful." I manage to say. When Evangeline feels the presence of her twin sister, she yawns and wakes up, then tries to extend her arm to her sister. I giggle and lean in closer, letting Evangeline meet Elizabeth. "I shall protect them forever and always. No harm shall meet them."

**What will happen of Charles Lee and Haytham?**

**What will the product be of the Assassin and Templar war?**

**What did Emeline tell Ziio?**

**Aww wasn't that just the cutest :') I have to say, that was darn adorable. While I was writing, I kept on smiling throughout Ziio's point of view. This was another of my favorites to write, since such happiness goes on. But those Haytham feels though Dx lol too bad you don't know what happens x3 lolol *runs away before you can kill me***

**Anyways, sorry this was quite late :3 busy week and such. Plus, I published my crossover fic before this one. But anyways, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing. LOL how did you enjoy that Haytham Kenway sass while talking to Charles? xD I put that in there cuz' well.. He's the sass master Kenway. Also, I just HAD to put in the Edward Kenway feels as well I am sorry :'( But who else is pumped for AC4?!**

**~Jenny :)**

**PS Here's a little soundtrack I put together for this chapter. I was listening to these songs while writing certain scenes. To fully enjoy this chapter, I recommend listening to these songs while reading. It really gives you that feel :)**

**1. (When Ziio gives birth to Evangeline) Soul Outside**

**2. (Assassins vs Templars) Two Steps From Hell- Eldorado**

**3. (Elizabeth's birth and when Connor meets Elizabeth) The Cinematic Orchestra- Arrival of The Birds and Transformation**


	14. The Cave

**Reunited**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**The Cave**

* * *

Invisible cold air swarms around my body. I want to shiver, but I stop my hands from rubbing my arms in search of warmth. Instead, my attention is focused on the hand I hold inside mine. When I thought this over in my head, I thought it would be more special, perhaps on the verge of romantic. Instead, he slowly arches his head down towards mine, and looks at our entwined hands. When he seems to confirm in his mind that it really has happened, he then looks into my eyes in question. We stand still for moments, looking at each other waiting for the other to move.

I look closer at the man and try to read into his emotions. His dark eyes are deep. No matter how much I want to look under, secrets will always shroud the truth. It seems as though he tries to read my mind as well. Both of us fail to learn what the other is thinking. While his fingers are still laced in mine, warmth starts to emit from his and spread to my body. I try to push the thought aside.

"You have shown me great kindness… Thank you." He then looks down to his feet, and then raises his face. When he notices I'm still looking to him, he faintly smiles. "I… I should go."

I could already feel the strength from his hand depleting as he starts to let go of me. _No._ Yet his eyes still watch over mine. _Stop trying to hide what you're feeling._ I feel as if the world has stopped around me. _This is it…_

Taking a leap of faith, I place my other hand on top of his cheek and caress it, trying to be light as a feather. It all seems to happen so fast. It's almost as if my hand is a trigger. He then starts to lean down so he could get to my height. I try to stand as tall as I can. I can feel my stomach drop and do flips and turns inside me. I close my eyes, seeing darkness. I then feel his lips gently press against mine. When I was young, I never cared for love. I never even thought of what love would feel like. Although now love is still not my top priority, it is not wrong to enjoy what feels right. I rejoice in my head as our lips sweetly move together, not wanting to part. After a while, I pull away. His hand is still in mine. I much expected to see his face filled with questions maybe, or maybe even rage. Instead, I am greeted with a face showered with sadness. Have I made him sad?

"I…" I try to speak, but I don't know what to say. 'I am sorry for kissing you'? Or maybe 'I have had my content. You are free now' would work. Before I could choose either option, I feel my hand being tugged. His hand wraps around my waist and pulls me back towards him. He starts to kiss me again, but this time it's less of an experiment, less of a question. We're both sure of it now. We both want the same thing.

_What will everyone think of me?_ The man continues to press onto me, even harder now. _I will be ridiculed._ I try to burn the thoughts from my mind. I let go of his hand and hold his face with both. He responds by kissing me even more. I raise my head and move my hands to his neck. He then starts to move lower and showers my jaw with sweet kisses. Each kiss is filled with certainty and love. _I haven't even known this man for long, and I am already claiming I love him._

Not being able to read my mind, he moves further now and starts to kiss my shoulder, letting his free hand wipe away the sleeve of my dress. I can feel his strength gently pull me towards the ground. When I feel my knees give in, I kneel on the floor, bringing him down with me. He then looks into my eyes briefly before kissing my lips again, letting his hands tug down my sleeves further. _This is going too far._ Ignoring my own wisdom, I kiss him back with as much love as he is offering me. I try to pull him closer to me. I want to be closer to him. Now.

With both of my sleeves down and nothing to pull my dress up, I feel it slowly slip down, revealing myself to him. _I need to pull back up my clothes and leave with whatever dignity I have. _ He doesn't seem to notice my unsheathed skin. In fact, his face has been with mine all the while. _Wait a second…_ I open my eyes to see a man sprawled over me kissing me fiercely_. _I ball my hand into a fist and punch the man's stomach. **Hard**. It looks as if the man has had his poor life sucked out of him. He seems to fly across the cave. While his body is airborne, I curse myself and dress myself properly.

"Ziio… I…" He looks down at his hands, and then looks to me in a rage. He then yells at me with his foreign British accent, "What was that for?"

"You…" I could feel my cheeks grow feverishly and dangerously warm as he watches me point a finger at him. He raises his eyebrows as if he knows I wanted the same thing that he did. "I… I never gave you permission to touch me!"

"Goddamn, Ziio." He shakes his head and points to me as well. "**You** were the one that kissed me!"

"You were the one that started to undress me!" I shout back to him.

He opens his mouth as if to say something, but instantly closes it. His lips then form a straight line and his eyes widen, perhaps from embarrassment. It's almost as if he's having a fight with his internal self not to blush.

"I…" Before he could continue, I hear creaking and booming against the cave. Pebbles under my feet rumble as I hear thunder and lightning clash against the skies, fighting for dominance. "Bloody hell," The man murmurs as he stomps outside, then returns with his clothes slightly damp. "It looks like we're staying in here for the night."

I feel a shiver run up my spine as I grimace. _Gods, why must you curse me with the worse timing?_ The man looks at me while I try and study him. _What came over me anyways? Why did I feel the need to kiss him? What's so special about him anyways? Now I am damned with an awkward night lying awake with this man. How does he even think of me now? Do I even fancy him? Gods, no, please don't say I fancy him. _My eyebrows knit together as I try to sort out my feelings.

"What?" The man sounds impatient after a while of my staring. I don't answer. "Well, if we expect to keep warm, we need to build a fire, which seems impossible since there's a bloody storm outside, wetting all the dry grass and bark."

"There might be dry grass and bark around the cave. We should search." I say calmly, trying to douse his attitude.

* * *

After a while, I finally manage to build a meek fire using whatever I could find lying around the cave. A pile of sticks and grass lays in the center between us, as a small flame dances and sways to the rhythm of the air. The man sits, staring at the fire, while I try to warm myself up with the flames. A breeze starts to blow in through the cave, threatening to extinguish the fire.

"Quick, get more firewood before the fire dies out." The man tells me.

"I used all there is to build the fire. There is nothing left." I sigh, and watch as our last hope for a comfortable night starts to fade away. I watch as he searches the caves with his eyes, and then back to the fire.

"Damn it." He whispers as he swiftly takes off his red coat, revealing a cotton shirt. He then rips off the hem and adds it to the flames, letting it devour his shirt. The fire instantly grows and lights up the dark cave. I try my best to turn away and give him as much privacy as I can get, but curiosity urges me to look at him. He sits down across from me, too preoccupied with shredding his shirt to notice my staring. The fire illuminates the top half of his naked body, bringing to light how beautiful he really was. Muscles line his stomach, with more in his arms. A "V" points down from his lower abdomen to his companion. I do a small laugh at how men measure each other's strength and power as to the size of their cock. _I wonder how big his is…_ I should feel ashamed for having such scandalous thoughts, but I really don't care. He then finally looks up and notices me studying him.

"Is it okay if," I gesture to his coat, now on the floor. The fire isn't enough; I wish to cover my arms from the cold. He slowly nods, allowing me to creep closer and quickly grab for his coat and wrap it as a shawl around my shoulders.

"Ziio…" He then pauses, searching for the right words. "I'm sorry for… going too far."

"It's not your fault." I shrug. After all, I was the one that lead him on. "I'm sorry for striking you."

"It's quite alright." He tries to sound sincere, and smiles to me. "What I said before though… I meant it. Thank you for the kindness you have showed me, Ziio."

"Thank you for removing the Bulldog." I say simply, as if my kindness was an even trade for his deed.

"Are you finally convinced then?" He raises an eyebrow to me, and moves closer. I try to focus on his face, considering he's half naked. "Do you trust me?"

I recall one of our first conversations we've had together. We trudged along the cold outskirts of Boston, trying to gather information on the Bulldog's whereabouts. I specifically told him I was "unconvinced", whereas I didn't trust him.

"What happens now?" I ask him, deciding not to answer his question. I say in my usual calm voice, "Because the Bulldog is taken care of, and I showed you the cave, are you going to leave me?" I hate to admit that I don't like the thought of him leaving me.

"If you wish, then so be it." He sighs and turns away from me, but still sits next to me. We both watch the flames dance along the bark, illuminating the cave. We stay silent for a while, both sitting motionless watching the fire. I believe he has fallen asleep when I decide to speak my mind. What is there to lose?

"No." I whisper. The man next to me does a small jump, probably from being woken up.

"Pardon?" He asks, yawning.

"I… I don't wish for you to leave me." I don't want to look at his reaction. He's probably smirking to himself. Why would he want a "savage" anyways? There's nothing special about me that would less than humor him. Even if he does accept me, nothing will ever work out. He couldn't simply drop everything and live with me in the village, nor could I move into New York. Perhaps he could visit me in my village at times, and I could visit him, but my mother would never agree to me courting him. My fate is to become Clan Mother one day myself. I couldn't be with an Englishman. _It's simply impossible_.

I watch the dancing fire in silence, waiting for his reply. Instead, he gently pulls me closer and meets his lips to mine. I respond quickly, wrapping my hands in his hair and pulling him closer to me. I shrug off his coat quickly, and try my best to pull down his trousers. I could feel his smile against my lips as he helps me to shimmy out of his pants. Meanwhile, he starts to kiss my jaw and gets his hands preoccupied with slipping me out of my dress. I don't stop him this time.

* * *

The deed was done. After he withdrew himself from inside my core, we both lay on the floor, using my dress as a cushion and his coat as a blanket. The next morning came quickly. I wake up to a morning breeze, brushing my naked body. I want to shriek, and look frantically around for my clothes. Then I notice the naked man next to me, hugging my dress like a baby with a stuffed toy. He's in a deep and peaceful sleep. _He looks adorable and so innocent when he sleeps._ I then frown. _If only he was like this all the time._ I lean on him, using my arms to lean on top of his hard abdomen. This seems to stir him, but he only yawns.

"Darling," I whisper in his ear, "I would like it if you could kindly give me my clothes back."

He then wakes up fully, and jolts upright, knocking me off him. He holds his hand to his chest as if he has trouble breathing, while I lay on the floor, having trouble breathing because I'm laughing so hard.

"Bloody hell, Ziio, don't scare me like that." He then tosses me my dress as I hold myself together and dress myself.

"I didn't know I had the power to frighten a man like you." I laugh to myself.

"What are you implying?"

"It's just that you're always… I don't know… intimidating." I shrug and watch him put on his own clothes. We then both stand up together and go to the mouth of the cave. We both end up shielding our eyes from the sunlight. Birds fly in the air, as if no storm happened the other night. He then faces me and looks me in the eyes.

"Ziio… What happened last night…" He looks as if he's sorry for me.

"You look as if you pity me." I raise an eyebrow and question him.

"I don't want to drag you into my own affairs. My world is a dark place… I don't want anyone that doesn't have to be dragged into it." He sighs and looks to the grass.

"Haytham…" I turn around and put his hands in mine. "We'll find a way, if you wish so."

Haytham doesn't answer me; he instead leans in closer and kisses me again. I then suddenly hear him pull out a knife, flip me over, and press it onto my neck. I try to jerk free of his grasp, but that only results in beads of blood drip down from my flesh.

"You left me to die." He snarls in my ear.

"No! Haytham! I'm sorry! Don't do this. I didn't want to leave you, and you know it! Leaving you was the last thing I wanted!" I want to cry. I feel helpless. "This isn't real! Come back to me! You have twin daughters. Come to Connor. Come to your family."

"You are meaningless now." He throws me to the ground. "I can never forgive a woman who let her own husband on his own to die. You killed me, Ziio."

"Haytham, stop, please!" I scream, and thrash at him while he tries to restrain me. He then pulls out his dagger and places it on the center of my chest, ready to thrust down at any given moment. "I love you." I whisper before the dagger hits my skin.

* * *

"Lady Ziio." I look up to see Emeline. Her loose brown curls that lay shoulders her arms bob up and down as she vigorously shakes my arm. Her crystal hazel eyes are filled with worry and her face is pale.

"What happened?" I ask, and jump from the bed looking around. "Where is Haytham? Is he here? Is there any news?"

"You were screaming in your sleep. I wanted to wake you up before you could wake the infants." Emeline says silently. "There is no news on Haytham, or the rest of our Brothers."

"Please," I look to the woman's eyes and try to sound as sincere as I can, despite having the worst nightmare any woman could dream. I then move my head to peek out the window. Darkness pours in, with faint moonlight to illuminate the room. When I look closer at Emeline, I notice bags under her eyes. I kept her up the entire day as she helped me give birth to my babies, and now I woke her up. "You may go back to sleep."

She nods, and quickly scurries out of my room. I then plop back down on my bed, letting the dream seep back into my brain, as if the ceiling is playing a movie for me. I see Haytham looking at me with pure hatred and disgust as I fly to the ground, tears starting to spill onto my face.

"_You left me to die_." His voice echoes in my ears. "_You are meaningless_."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter was a bit confusing... I recently went around reading other fanfics out there, with some having plenty steamy moments and I noticed that NONE (that I could find) have the scene with the cave! So I thought, why not, let's kill two birds with one stone. I also noticed that throughout this entire fic, there hasn't been really any Haytham and Ziio moments (ie. Kissing, etc.)... That is because it feels pretty weird writing that sort of stuff but I hope it isn't too awkward to read! xD If it is still confusing, let me explain that while they are in the cave, the italics is Ziio's mind speaking to herself, or her wisdom, or ****_instincts..._**

**Anyways, thanks for reading this. As you can tell, I just learned how to do the line thingy to separate the chapter! :D It has been a long journey, but after fourteen chapters, I can proudly say "I learned how to do the line thingy to separate the chapter". :)**

**Here are some songs I listened to while writing this chapter. As usual, if you want to get the full fill and feeling of the chapter, feel free to listen to this little playlist I put together. I strongly encourage it. :)**

**1. Into The Cave- Antonio Pinto**

**2. Maternal Love- Lorne Balfe**

**3. Assassin's Creed 3 Theme Variation, Extended- YouTube User**

**4. Bones- MS MR**

**Thank you again for reading and your support. Please review and tell me how I did! Thank you! :)**

**~Jenny**


	15. These are Hard Times for Dreamers

**A/N: Sooo I decided to put this at the beginning of the chapter well because… I didn't want to ruin the ending for ya'll :P So you might've noticed that this came out particularly later than most chapters (wow I find myself apologizing for the delay of every chapter nowadays sorry about that lol) but I just write when I'm in my happy writing mood. This chapter took so long to write. Some days, I would write half of it, then scrap it the next and start all over because well… It was pretty much crap. Anyways, this is the best I could get it to for now. I really want to improve the quality of these chapters for ya'll cuz' I just love you so much :) anyways, as usual, here is your playlist for the chapter.**

**1.) Bones- Ms Mr**

**2.) Salvation of Forli- Jesper Kyd**

**3.) Aphelion- Lorne Balfe**

**4.) Winterfell- Game of Thrones Soundtrack**

**5.) Mother of Dragons- Game of Thrones Soundtrack**

**6.) Victory of the Chesapeake- (YouTube User) kosappiuni**

**7.) Assassin's Creed III Main Theme Variation Extended- (YouTube User) Bahrom7893**

**8.) Temple Secrets- Lorne Balfe**

**9.) Desmond's Destiny- Lorne Balfe**

**So as usual, I'd like to say please enjoy! Also, please review and tell me how you liked it, or give me constructive criticism, or just say hi if it pleases you! :)**

**~Jenny **

* * *

**Reunited**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Hard Times for Dreamers**

* * *

**Haytham**

The sparks from the flames rise to the blank night sky. I hear the war cries of men as they continue to clash against each other. The air smells of death. I then look back up from the ground and see Charles Lee also examining our surroundings. We are encircled by village huts in every corner. The fire licks the huts and continues to consume the wood, hungry for more. The wall of inferno slowly grows higher and higher, further limiting my chances of survival.

"It seems that we are dancing with death, Haytham." Charles does a sarcastic laugh as he continues to watch the fire amplify.

"I will not die tonight." I sigh and look away from the blinding flames, and back to my enemy. Lust for death fills my eyes. "But the same cannot be said for you."

"Those are bold words to say for a man surrounded by flames." Charles' nostrils flare as my words seep deeper into his mind. "You cannot threaten me. _I_ am the Grandmaster now."

"The title means nothing." I spin my sword around and slash the air, readying myself for when the fight will continue. "It all boils down to your qualities; leadership, bravery, strength, honor… All of which you do not have, Charles."

"Haytham, how I've missed your attitude," Charles breathes out as he does another sarcastic laugh. He then raises his hands in the air and yells in anger, "But it appears that we are both dying here tonight… Together!"

"I will never die with you." I growl and finally ready my blade, ready to pounce.

"So be it." Charles sighs and gets into a fighting stance. I do the same, gripping my sword in my hand and putting my other arm out for balance. I then shift my body so I stand sideways, perfect for a smaller target. I then start to fancily swish the sword in my hand, partly readying myself, and partly from my impatience. Charles grunts and launches himself at me.

I hold the edge of the blade with my left hand as I grasp the hilt with my right, quickly deflecting his blow. When I see an opening, I try to retract my hidden blade and stab him, but he sees my goal hits my forehead with his own and pushes me away. The pain on my forehead throbs for a second, but is hardly considered a scratch compared to other situations I've been in. While he readies himself to strike again, I sidestep around him with grace in my step. If I am to swordfight to my death, at least make it traditional and graceful… like how my father taught me. I flick my wrist, causing my hidden blade to protrude from its bracer. I then grasp the blade and hold it like a dagger, and try to stab Charles again. This time, he grabs my arm and bends his back, using my weight against him, causing me to topple over. I curse myself and use my sword to deflect his would-be finishing blow.

"Have you been enjoying those 'Forest Fruits' too much?" Charles laughs to himself as he wipes his own blood off his forehead. "You're out of practice, Haytham."

"Not at all…" I jump up, and watch as Charles gets cocky and sloppily aims at my waist, putting his entire body into the blow. I use my foot to trip him, sidestep around him, and quickly disarm him. Charles lands on the ground with a loud thud. I catch his sword in my left hand, trying out dual wielding, a skill my father taught me. I then smirk, "_You're_ the one getting sloppy."

* * *

**Connor**

After tossing and turning restlessly, I give up and lay the back of my head flat against the bed's pillow. I stare at the white plaster above my head called a ceiling. I watch as scenes from my memories leak out onto the walls.

I see myself running into my father's arms, after seeing him the first time.

_ "Who are you?" I ask him. The man seems to look surprised that I can speak his language. My voice is small, but I show no fear speaking to him, only curiosity. I then stand up between him and my mother, as if guarding her from him. I see the man look behind me to my mother as if silently asking her something and she nods._

_"You are my son." The strange man says. He has an odd accent; a foreign way of saying words. He wears strange clothing as well. The strange man has strange pale skin, strange brown hair, strange eyes and a strange nose, but something about this man sets me particularly off edge._

_"I asked who are __**you**__, not who am __**I**__." I fall back onto my mother's lap. She pulls me closer to her and whispers something into my ear. My eyes widen and stay still like that for a few moments, letting the knowledge seep into my mind._

_After fully acknowledging the idea, my thoughts are filled with the happiest things. This is a dream I've never dreamt. This is too much of a fantasy for me. I rush off my mother's lap, and land on my new father's, clutching his hand tightly._

_"Father…" I whisper._

_"His grip is tight." He tells my mother. She seems to be watching us with curiosity. "He would make a fine fighter one day."_

_"That is true." Ziio replies as she continues to watch us with awe._

_"What is your name?" I ask the boy as he sits back onto my lap._

_"Ratonhnhake:ton." I say._

_"O-dune-hawk-dune?" My father asks while butchering the language. This man is strange indeed._

_"You can call him Connor." My mother says and smiles at the sight of my father and I. "It means wolf-lover, or friend of the animals. My people gave it to him as a second name."_

_"Connor." He repeats. I stand higher on his lap and kiss his cheek. Every action is filled with love and content. Finally, I get a father. Finally, I am normal like the other children in my village. Finally I can see my mother happy… truly happy. Finally, I can have a complete and utterly perfect family._

_"Father." I say._

"Father…" I repeat out loud, letting my voice ring through my ears. As the memory ends, I frown as my stomach seems to drop to the floor. I feel alone, as if someone was with me before. Before I could stop myself, another memory starts to paint the ceiling. This memory isn't too far from the other. I remember this was the day after my mother and father had their official marriage ceremony.

_My mother's hand rises to her eyes as a shield from the sunlight. She still wears her white gown, in which she wore the night before as she was married to my father. The damp grass lies beneath us as I play in the trees next to her. _

_"Mother", I ask impatiently, "When is father returning?"_

_"Be patient, my son." She sighs then looks to me. My hair is wild, and dirt is scattered on my face. She asks, "Where have you been this morning?"_

_"I've been training of course. I'm a fighter, and not a child." I scowl, not being in the mood to be scolded by my mother. I miss my father, and I want him back now._

_"I'm guessing Haytham told you that?" She asks and an eyebrow rises above her eye. I hate when she does that._

_"Something of that sort." I cross my arms._

_"Come here, my son." My mother opens her arms widely, inviting for me to sit on her lap. I groan, but reluctantly follow her orders. When I sit down, she softly picks up pieces of my hair and starts to fix it._

_"Long ago, the greatest warriors would have a braid in their hair. To cut off their braid is like cutting off their heart. To have a braid was the greatest honor." She says as she continues to pull and cross a strand of hair over to another._

_"So I'm a warrior now?" I start to smile at the thought._

_"Yes." She smiles back to me._

_ I was so young and foolish back then. I laugh at my young self, but realize there really haven't been many changes to me since. How could I not notice my mother hiding something? How could I not notice the sadness behind the smile she showed me?_

_ Another memory starts to cloud the wall's white clarity. _

_I watch as Charles Lee runs away. I lay on the ground, with my flesh beaten and bruised. My heart is wounded worse, however. Questions fuse into my brain and want to spill from my lips, but the scene before me stops it. I've never seen my father so aggressive. I've never seen such aggressiveness from anyone, in fact. I never knew the world could birth such cruelty known as Charles Lee. I know my father never collaborated with him. He couldn't have._

_My father spits on the floor and curses as he watches Charles Lee flee. He then looks back to me. His face shifts from anger to utmost worry. He rushes to me and kneels next to me._

_"Where are you hurt, my son?" My father asks me. I point to my ribs. When he tries to touch it, I cringe in pain. He then lifts me up on his back. "Let me carry you back to the village."_

_"What was that?" I ask him. He doesn't answer. He just continues to walk._

_"I am sorry." He finally tells me._

_"For what? None of this is your fault."_

_"My son, I am sorry. I have failed you." He shakes his head and refuses to talk any more_.

When the memory seems to end, I notice myself staring at my own hands, my own palms. I clench my jaw and grind my teeth together trying to prevent tears from dripping out of my eyes. After the crash of memories, my heart seems like it has dropped to the bottom of a never-ending ocean. The images from the memories still dance inside my head.

I have known true freedom. I have known a world of peace and remarkable spirit. I have known true happiness. I have known true love…. A world which was taken from me….

That world was taken from me, and seized by one man… _Charles Lee._

If it was not for Charles Lee, my father would not be out there right now. He would not be fighting to protect my people. He would not have to prove himself. He would not be risking death. My mother would be truly happy. The first thing my sisters' eyes will feast upon is my father.

Rage starts to burn inside me. I cringe at the feeling of such a nasty emotion. I feel like a monster has been birthed inside my stomach, inching its way up my throat. I throw off the bed covers on top of me, and jump to the cold hardwood flooring. I open the door, and run to the outside of the manor. As soon as my feet touch the grass, I bend over as whatever meal I have eaten throws itself out of my mouth. When I seem finished, I sit on the porch waiting for my shivers to concede. It is only then that I notice the tears that have been streaming down my cheeks. I don't fight the urge anymore. I grasp the pillar for support and let my emotions flood outside of me.

* * *

**Haytham**

"Peace, Haytham!" Charles Lee is sprawled on the dirt, his eyes wide open, poured in with the fear of death. "Be rational!"

"The time for forgiveness has passed." I step closer and hold the two swords behind his neck, forming an X, ready to slice his head off. "I spared your life once already. I think I am being perfectly rational with giving you a clean death, despite my anger. Any last words, old friend?"

Now seeing that his death is unavoidable, Charles makes the face of a betrayed kicked puppy. This is how I truly remember Charles when we first met. However, the face doesn't last for long. It is quickly replaced with an expression of true insanity, rage, and humor. "Have fun burning in the fire with me gone! At least I don't have to burn to death. Also, have fun enjoying those forest fruits of yours that you claim to love. I will see you again in Hell, Haytham. Until we meet again, may the father of understanding guide me."

"Goodbye, Charles." I whisper. He closes his eyes, and braces himself. I quickly close the space between the two swords, granting the man with an undeserving clean death.


	16. Never Again

**Reunited**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Never Again**

* * *

**Ziio**

"Ratonhnhake:ton, rise." I try to smile warmly as I run my hand through my son's disheveled hair. Even though it is far into the summer, a cool morning breeze seems to brush and greet my skin. My son slightly stirs but gives me no other response. I now frown and shake his shoulders roughly. "Come on Ratonhnhake:ton, you must wake. It is cold outside."

"Ista," Ratonhnhake:ton blinks his eyes open and quickly darts his head up. "Where are we? How did I fall asleep outside? Where is father…" He then buries his head into his hands as if all of his memories are flooding back into him. "He hasn't returned… has he?"

I freeze, not knowing how to reply. _So my son has also been dreaming about his father_. Instead of replying, I silently and slowly shake my head. He frowns and his shoulders slump back down. I try to smile for my son."Come inside, little one. The twins want to see you."

Ratonhnhake:ton forms a slight smile at the mention of his newborn little sisters, but his eyes are still kissed by sadness. I comb my hand through his hair and stand up. _My dear son, you've been with me forever and always. _I decide not to question as to why and how my son was sleeping outside for the night when he was given a perfectly fine bedroom. Instead, I lead him through the doorway of the manor. When he follows, I try to close the door as quietly as I can. It appears that colonists do not rise as early as we do, and most are still asleep, mind the few that stay guard. As soon as I manage to quietly close the door, our two personal guards from the village each step from each side of the door frame standing in front of Ratonhnhake:ton and I.

I continue down the hallway with my shoulders parallel to the walls and my head held high. I must not shut myself down now. My son needs me. My daughters need me. My family needs me. I make a sudden right turn down the hallway and pause in front of the door at the end of the hall with my hand touching the cool knob.

"Ista, where are you going? Nevedita and Ku:wanlelenta are down the other way." Ratonhnhake:ton asks me.

"Ratonhnhake:ton," I breathe out calmly, "stay outside with Dekana:awind and Ni:ichad. I must speak with mother." With that, I slowly open the door, leaving Ratonhnhake:ton with our two guards.

"My daughter," The Clan Mother welcomes me with open arms. "Come inside. We must discuss important matters." She then directs me to two chairs in front of a crackling fireplace.

"Ista, what is this all about?" I ask as we both sit down. I decide to hide my true emotions and put on a mask of confidence. Ista can't know of my sadness. I can't look weak.

"Daughter," Clan mother's warm smile deserts her face, leaving her with all seriousness. She places a hand on my shoulder and leans closer to me, looking into my eyes. "It is time I give my position to you."

* * *

**Haytham**

The first time I met Charles, I couldn't imagine that I would be the one to steal away his life. I remember it like it happened yesterday_. I just landed on the ports of New York. I take in the atmosphere of the New World. Colonists here seem a bit wild, but nothing too terrible. The streets smell of rotten food and piss, having people empty their chamber pots in the open. My nose twists at the smell, but it's not worse than the streets of England. Besides, England is nothing compared to the New World. Never have I seen a place like this._

_ As I step off the plank from my ship leading to the docks, a man instantly runs to greet me._

_ "Master Kenway! Master Kenway!" A man calls, holding out his hand for me to shake._

_ "Yes?" I inquire, slightly amused, "May I help you?"_

_ "Charles Lee, sir." Charles grabs for my hand and forces me to shake his, his smile growing wider as he tries to come to my pleasing. This man is rather peculiar. He's too bright and bubbly, and seems to still have clung onto his youth…_

Never would I have imagined his life ending like this. It was a good run, though. It was quite heroic as well. Perhaps my life was even chivalrous enough to go in the storybooks. Risking my life for the love of my wife and my children, ending all loose ties with the Templars, rejoining the Assassins… Perhaps it really wasn't too late to return to the village and to Ziio. I have no doubts it was the right decision. Even now, being trapped into the burning inferno, I don't regret returning and reconciling. Perhaps I have finally made my father proud.

The light gust of wind assures me of this. It doesn't do much help to my current situation. My father's spirit seems to raise the fires even higher, but it doesn't matter. It was already far too late for me to escape.

_I am going to die, here and now._

Perhaps if I have never left Ziio in the first place or maybe if Reginald Birch never found me, I would have had a closer relationship with Connor. I could have lived to watch him grow. I could have taught him to sail the open seas as my father tried to teach me. I could have taught him how to ride a horse. I could have seen Connor with his first courtship and his first love. I would have seen my legacy grow… the Kenway Legacy.

I wish to have met my unborn child. How content with happiness Ziio must be now, with the babe just born. I wonder if the child came to be a boy or girl. A girl would have been nice. Either way, I would've loved the child unconditionally. Ziio could teach her to sew, cook, and hunt. I could teach her to climb and fight. Should any boy try to court her, surely Connor would fulfill the role of an overprotective big brother. I would just be there to embarrass her whenever needed. I would have strived to build a better relationship with the child than with Jenny and my own father. I could just imagine sailing the seas with my daughter and my. What adventures we would have found.

If my father had lived long enough, maybe I would have had a closer relationship with my father. We could've sailed the seas together, discovered new lands, claim distant islands' treasures… Maybe I even would've inherited his ship, the Jackdaw, and captained it and his crew. How he would've loved that. I can only reminisce now and imagine what could have been.

"Haytham!" My head perks back up to the present as I hear my name being called. It's an old and raspy voice. It could only be Achilles'. I could hear him cough as he tries to get closer to me, only to stop by the wall of flames. The burnt down hut continues to burn and ignite further.

"What are you doing? Get out of here, and take the rest of the Brotherhood with you. The battle is over." I order Achilles. I get closer to the fire and try my best to shoo away Achilles.

"I cannot, "Achilles says solemnly, "For I cannot leave a brother behind."

* * *

**Ziio**

"Ista, you cannot!" I stand up from the chair, distraught from my mother's suggestion. "Each Clan Mother only resides her post upon death. It is untraditional. And you cannot choose me. I… I dishonored you… I dishonored the village by conceiving a child before the bonding of marriage…" I hold my head in my hands and try to find the words to say.

"Kaniehti;io, the honor of Clan Mother is passed through blood. My eldest daughter shall take the role when I choose fit. You, being my only child, will take the role." Clan Mother remains stern on her decision as she speaks calmly.

"By choosing me, you are defying the culture our village has lived by since the great Goddess Juno visited us. Because of you, I wasn't thrown out of the village of shame by having being impregnated by an Englishman and having a premarital babe." The words that have wanted to slip from my lips find a way out. I refuse to look to my mother and instead to the flames. "You cannot choose me. You cannot resign now."

"My choice is final. It is your duty as a member of this village, and my daughter, to accept." She says. Her face is like stone, refusing to show any emotion.

"Mother, I…" I am hit with a confusion of words. Should I be happy to take on this role? Should I agree? Should I disagree? Should I be mad with her decision?

"Kaniehti;io, my child, I have watched you grow. Even with your mate taken away and at the birth of your children, you still exemplify strength, courage, restraint, wisdom, and leadership. As little flaws as you show, you are only human. This is what the Clan Mother should be. You are ready." She now decides to look at me. She shows me a small smile in her eyes and a small lift at the corner of her mouth, but other than that nothing.

"But, Ista, what if he doesn't come back?" I whisper softly. I clench my jaw to keep my lip from quivering and breathe deeply to calm myself. "I cannot handle the duty of a clan mother along with raising a family myself. I cannot handle all of that along with grief and sadness. I will have to rebuild the village and lead the families with courage and wisdom. How could I do that when I, myself, will have no courage?"

"Kaniehti;io, the words you are speaking are not true. You have grown to become a strong and independent woman. You doubt your own abilities. When Ratonhnhake:ton was a small babe and you were alone, you didn't show any grief and sadness. You strongly hid them from everyone else for the sake of others."

I remember the time when Ratonhnhake:ton was just born, and Haytham just left me. I was shamed by the other villagers, and although I knew it would never be fate for Haytham and I to raise a child together, I was grief-stricken. He left me with a child and fled at my command. He didn't even put up a fight. I put away my own feelings for the sake of Ratohnhake:ton. I never would let my young son see me sad and weak.

"I have faith in you." Ista takes my silence as an agreement. "We will have a proper ceremony once we return to the village. Under you will our tribe truly rebuild and grow. I give you my blessing, as my mother has. Kaniehti:io, you shall pass on this role to your eldest daughter and she may do so until the last of your kin."

* * *

**Haytham**

"You're being absurd!" I yell through the flames and practically try to push Achilles out of the way. "Leave now, and take the Brotherhood with you. If you die, they will lose their Mentor."

"I don't plan to die." Achilles grunts as he tries to climb up onto the nearest roof which is barely burning.

"Then get out of here. I will find a way out myself." I order Achilles and continue to watch as he attempts to take and make a safe trail to my location.

"You looked like you were ready to move on to the next world." Achilles says. He goes through walls of a burning hut, only to have the roof collapse over him.

"Achilles," I shout. I run closer to where the roof collapsed and try to shovel debris out of the way. My heart begins to race. I cannot live to see another soul die to my cause. After I lift a fallen tree branch, I find Achilles lying on the floor. He was hit by the branch, but still alive.

"I'm too old for this." Achilles coughs as smoke begins to fill the air.

"We must get out of here." I cover my mouth with one hand to shield my lungs from the rising smoke. I then haul Achilles over my shoulder and fight through the falling debris. Achilles made an easy enough path to follow when he came to attempt and rescue me. I briefly look behind me again as the entire hut collapses behind me. Charles's lifeless body goes completely out of my view.

A slight rush them flows through my veins. I finished what I came to do. Perhaps there truly is hope to fulfill the wishes I made for my family. I turn around with complete motivation to move forward. Despite being physically drained from all energy from the previous fight, I continue to follow the somewhat clear trail of barely burnt rooftops. The thick black smoke continues to slowly grow along with the sunrise. When I manage to escape and find a clearing outside the burning huts, I gently place Achilles onto the floor, drop to the floor myself and gasp for air.

"When you escape the burning area, the Brotherhood is waiting for us. We have horses so we can return with god speed." Achilles informs me. "The sooner you get back to your family, the better."

"Achilles, I…" I don't even know how to properly thank this man. Surely, without Achilles' help, I would've been outnumbered by the Templars and I would've died without even putting up a fight.

"No need to thank me now, boy." Achilles sighs, "Maybe you can show me your thanks later. I have this old ship that needs repairing… not to mention my mansion falling apart…"

"Thank you, Achilles." I breathe out.

"Let us be off then." Achilles grunts as he helps himself back into a standing position. Somehow, he found his cane in his hand and continues to walk away.

* * *

**Connor**

I watch as the creaking door flies open with my mother's hand on the handle. With the state of this mansion, I'm surprised the door didn't break. The Clan Mother continues to sit calmly on the choir chair staring into the fireplace. Despite my mother's temper flare, her face looks emotionless like stone. It reminds me of when I was a young child and she cared for me herself.

"Ista, is there something wrong?" I ask with concern. She shakes her head and waves me away. "Go with your sisters. I must… go outside. Take the guards with you as well. I need time to be alone." As my mother speaks she rubs her head with her hand and storms down the stairs without a glance back.

I run to the stairs to watch the scene my mother puts on. The few residents of the mansion that are currently awake make a clearing for her as she strides through. My mother treats them like they're invisible and continues to stare at the floor as she quickly flies to the front door and slams it closed behind her. When she's out of sight I run to the nearest window overlooking the view of the front yard. Ziio puts her head between her knees for a few seconds and takes deep breaths. She then darts off to the nearest tree and flies into the frontier.

"Leave her be." I look up as Ni:ichad places his hand on my shoulder.

"But the sun has barely risen." I protest.

"She is a strong woman. She can handle herself." Ni:ichad assures me. "Come on, we must go to your sisters."

* * *

**Ziio**

When I land on the most stable tree branch I grasp the tree's trunk behind me for support as I lean back and plant one foot onto the trunk behind me. I look up to the tree's leaves and take a deep breath. I am far enough from the mansion but not too far to be completely unsafe.

_Why am I so infuriated? I am overreacting. Surely I should be excited, maybe even joyful of my new role. This is what I've always wanted as a little girl, right? I never wanted to be a weak and frail Clan Mother. Maybe now that I received the role young I can lead the clans with every quality ista listed. _

_ But I can't lead my people without hope or anything to drive me forward. Surely I will fail. How could I be a mother to my own family and a mother to the clans as well?_

I look up to see rays of light penetrate the dark sky. Warmth fills the cool blackness of the skies as the bright disk rises up for its daily chore. It's almost as if the sun doesn't even want to come up, but it must. The sun must come up to brighten the skies and usher in the new day. _Because it is the sun's duty._

_"I have faith in you."_ My mother's words echo through my ears. I jump down from the tree branch and land safely into a pile of leaves. So this is it then. I will return to the mansion, and regardless of who I will or will not find there, I will take full hold of my responsibilities.

Having set my mind, I breathe deep again and stride off into the direction of the mansion. I hear a low and unsettling growl escape from the forest. I freeze in my footsteps and take in my surroundings. Hiding behind a bush is a giant furry brown bear. The beast lets out another great growl and raises his head as if to show he's superior. Before the bear could notice me more, he puts his head back down sleepily and goes back into slumber.

Panic starts to grow inside me. My hands subtly check my waist. Sure enough, I was too infuriated before I left the mansion to even bother bringing my dagger with me. My best bet of survival is to sneak around and I might get around without a scratch.

I bend my knees and crouch down into a sneaking position. I slowly put one foot in front of the other and try to make as less noise as possible. In order to get back to the mansion I will have to walk towards the bear's bush and around it. The bear is directly in my path no matter what. I ever so slowly inch closer and closer to the bear. The beast stirs in its sleep and makes a low growling sound. I immediately stop in my path and hold my breath for a few seconds until it seems like the bear is sound asleep once again. I sidestep carefully around the bear so now he is directly behind me.

Right when I believe I am free from danger, I hear horses galloping in the distance. As the bear stirs I believe he has heard the noise as well. I curse in my head. Will I ever have a break? The noise comes closer and louder. The bear behind me now furious to be awakened from his slumber rises up fully and roars a great roar. I give up on trying to sneak around. I turn around to see the bear so close that I can pet him. He then begins to circle me.

This is _not_ good. The bear is in a hunting mood and thinks me of his prey. I look around for anything I can use as an emergency weapon or even an escape route. _Too late._ The bear lets out another great roar as he finally decides to pounce on me. Due to my instincts I turn around and immediately run away. _Bad move. It is impossible to outrun a bear._ The sound of the horses grow louder and louder as well. I let out a loud scream. Maybe one of the riders will hear me or see me and somehow help me. _Not likely._ I continue to run faster and faster only to realize the bear is so close to me. I run up a nearby tree and try to climb higher and higher and away from the bear. I am now so high that I cannot even see the ground anymore.

I clutch to the tree branch and wait for any signal that the bear is gone. The sound of a loud gunshot fills the air. Then another. I then hear the bear's whimper as it hits the ground dead. I then hear the sound of impatient horses stomp the ground as if they're dying to gallop again.

"Where did the woman go?" An unfamiliar voice asks. I clutch the tree branch tighter.

"She went up that tree." Another unfamiliar voice says. "Can anyone climb trees here?" There is a pause, then a shuffling of feet. "Are you okay enough to go up there?" I hear a grunt. "Okay then… just go up there to make sure she's alright and not injured and help her down if you can. I doubt she'll become hostile."

I laugh lightly. As if I _won't_ become hostile. I hear the sounds of clumsy feet trying to climb the trunk. The only view I get from my pursuer is the top of his head, which isn't helpful. He then clutches the nearest tree branch and climbs up further onto the trunk. He isn't that bad at tree climbing, he just lacks grace and fluidity and somewhat balance, which could easily be granted from practice. When I see hands clutch the tree branch under me, I look up to see if I could climb any higher. I'm the highest I could get. I could jump off the tree but there isn't a tree near enough for me to land on.

I instead inch closer to the tree trunk for support should I try to fight the pursuer. Given his placement, he would climb up directly above him which would be the far end of the branch. I could easily punch him which would throw him off balance and send him plummeting down. The man finally climbs up in front of me. I clench my jaw at the sight and take a sudden sharp breath. Is this some kind of sick joke the Goddess is playing?

"Who are you?" I demand. The man freezes in place as well, in equal shock as mine.

"Ziio…" He says my name the way he always does. As much as I want for this to be real, this can't. This can't be real. This has to be a dream of some sort.

"Who are you?" I repeat with more anger.

"Ziio, it's me, Haytham. I returned from the fight." He tries to say. His skin is pale and his usual neatly tied up hair is now messed up with strands of hair sticking out. He has a scratch on his lip which looks like it's stopped bleeding some hours ago but deep enough for there to be a scar. He also has scratches on his hands. He wears robes similar to Achilles' old robes. _Robes of an Assassin._

"Don't say his name. You are not Haytham." I speak in denial. "Why are you haunting me like this? What have I done? Are you a ghost?" I shake my head and move closer to him, wanting to push him off the tree. I raise my arm ready to push him off the branch. Instead, he quickly grabs both of my arms. I try to fight back, but his strength is obviously superior

"Are you touched in the head?" Haytham mumbled. I stop fighting and lay limp. I then look up to his face. He is looking to me as well. His dark grey eyes look confused and hurt.

"Haytham?" I ask in disbelief. I feel tears start to well in my eyes again, but I force them not to escape. He lets my arms go when he realizes I've stopped trying to fight him. I reach my hand up wanting to touch his face. "It can't be you."

"Ziio, I-" Haytham starts to say, but is cut off as I hug him. The feeling to touch and hug Haytham again was euphoric.

"Never again, okay? I am never letting you leave again." I order. I kiss his lips as if to seal the promise. I then kiss his cheek as if to make sure he's real. He kisses me back with the same love as before. I then rest my head onto his chest as he brushes my hair back.

"Never again." Haytham whispers.

* * *

**A/N: Ahhhhh oh my god ;o it really HAS been forever! I am so so so so so sorry *bursts into tears and swims into my pool of tears* I never could abandon this. It just isn't right. The other stories I have been doing were more of distractions. I feel like my writers mojo has left me. :( This story is supposed to be dramatic/depressing/feelstopia. The Bachelor's Creed is basically what I resorted to when I got frustrated. It's like my vacation. It was so fun to write and was basically written out of chapter was basically written over ten times. Each time I thought it was terrible and scrapped it and started all over. That is why it took so long. **

**Sorry for the terrible ending of this chapter sorry for the cheesiness Dx**

**This isn't the end of Reunited. I'm planning on either making another chapter and then a time skip or just for the next chapter to be an epilogue and it would be a time skip. There will be various epilogue chapters. In fact, I already have some planned out so for sure there will be at least 2 epilogue chapters lol. I know it's kind of weird for a story to be like that, it's just that I feel like this storyline is finished and all loose ties are tied up.**

**On the note of Haytham treeclimbing, I'm pretty sure in some chapters back Ziio taught him to treeclimb :3**

**On another note, Ista means mother in their language.**

**There are so many other things I want to put here, but I won't because that would make this about 100x longer. So thank you for sticking with me and supporting me. I really really do appreciate all of you. When I just started this story, I was going through a really hard time and was thinking of dark thoughts and ideas... Thanks to you guys' encouragement to continue this, you guys gave me a hobby to do to keep my mind off things and to distract me. So thank you.**

**Thank you for reading. Have a happy and safe summer, everyone!**

**~Jenny :)**


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